Goals from Germanpreet Singh and Mirlan Murzaev gave Chennaiyin FC a 2-0 lead before Javi Hernandez grabbed a consolation in the dying seconds.
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Chennaiyin FC managed a 2-1 win over Odisha FC at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco, Goa on Saturday, moving level on points with Jamshedpur FC to sit in the third spot in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) table. Goals from Germanpreet Singh (23’) and Mirlan Murzaev (63’) gave Chennaiyin FC a 2-0 lead before Javi Hernandez grabbed a consolation in the dying seconds of the match. There was little to choose between the two teams on the points table ahead of the match as Odisha FC sat a place and point above Chennaiyin FC in the standings. It reflected on the pitch in the tight opening ten minutes when neither team gave a lot away to their opponents.
Vishal Kaith came off his line in the 17th minute but failed to deal with a corner. Odisha FC maintained possession of the ball, which fell to Hernandez, who had drifted inside after taking the corner. His shot, however, was straight at Kaith, who managed to collect the ball in two attempts. Two minutes later, Chennaiyin FC almost profited from a misjudgement from the Odisha FC defender who allowed a long ball to run. For a brief moment, Lallianzuala Chhangte looked favourite to reach it but goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh was alert to the danger and cleared it before the Chennaiyin FC forward could get there.
A sideline ? of @ChennaiyinFC‘s 2️⃣nd goal against @OdishaFC! ?#CFCOFC #HeroISL #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/egeLrks3mW
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) December 18, 2021
The Super Machans eventually broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute after a patient and incisive build-up saw Anirudh Thapa whip in a cross across the face of the goal. Kamaljit in an attempt to cut it off could only punch it straight to Germanpreet who on the second attempt found the back of the net to put Chennaiyin FC in front. Two minutes later, Chennai came close to doubling the lead when Jerry Lalrinzuala latched onto a long ball that Odisha FC had failed to clear before cutting it back for Chhangte whose shot went inches wide of the far post.
As the half went on, Odisha FC, however, managed to get on the ball more and had a couple of chances themselves to equalise from dead-ball situations. On both occasions, Hernandez couldn’t find the target. Chennaiyin FC went into the half-time break with a slender but important lead to protect.
Bozidar Bandovic’s men started the second half strongly and should have added a second goal when Chhangte, who was played in on goal, failed to score despite being in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper in the 50th minute.
Five minutes later, Odisha FC were unfortunate not to equalise when Aridai Suarez charged at the heart of the Chennaiyin FC defence after they had pinched the ball in midfield. However, his shot from outside the penalty area struck the woodwork.
Not long after, the fate of the match was all but sealed. Chennaiyin FC doubled their lead in the 63rd minute when Murzaev struck a sweet right-footed strike from range that dipped over Kamaljit and into the back of the net.
Bandovic threw in three new players to ensure his team had enough fresh legs to see the game through. It paid dividends when all three substitutes were involved in constructing a move that helped Chennaiyin FC win a penalty for a foul on Vladimir Koman in the 84th minute. But Kamaljit saved the spot-kick from Gikiewicz to ensure the score remained at 2-0. Hernandez then had time to grab a late consolation for Odisha FC with a screamer from thirty yards, which proved to be too late in order to make a comeback.
The defeat pushed Odisha FC out of the top four as they dropped to fifth place in the table. Chennaiyin FC will be back in action on Wednesday when they take on Kerala Blasters in the southern derby while Odisha FC will face FC Goa in their next match on Friday.
