ISL 2024-25: Chennaiyin FC Pick Up First Home Point Of Campaign In 2-2 Stalemate Against FC Goa
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Chennaiyin FC and FC Goa played out a 2-2 draw in the 2024-25 Indian Super League.
ISL 2024-25: Chennaiyin FC and FC Goa (FSDL)
Chennaiyin FC picked up their first point of the season at home in a 2-2 draw at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Thursday against a visiting FC Goa.
Wilmar Jordan Gil put the hosts up early in the game before Manolo Marquez’s men fought back valiantly to inch ahead with goals from Udanta Singh Kumam and Amanda Sadiku.
But Daniel Chukwu Cheema’s strike salvaged a point for the hosts. CFC coach Owen Cole opted to start Samik Mitra in goal, with Bikash Yumnam, Ryan Edwards, Laldinpuia and Mandar Ray Desai in a back-four. Connor Shields, Farukh Choudhary, Laleinliana Hnamte and Lukas Brambilla made up the centre of the park for the hosts with Wilmar Jordan Gil and Irfan Yadawad up front in the 4-4-2 setup.
FC God had Laxmikanth Lattimani in goal, former CFC boy Aakash Sangwan, Jay Gupta, Odei and Uganda Singh Kumam in defence. Carl McHugh and Rowllin Burgess were deployed as holding midfielders with Borja Herrera in the No.10 role. Britons Fernandes and Boris Thangjam started on either wing with Dejan Drazic upfront.
Chennaiyin, who are yet unbeaten this season on road, had floundered to a home defeat against promoted Mohammedan SC in their first engagement at the Marina Arena this season.
The Marina Machans’ belief to pick up a win at home was bolstered in the opening 10 minutes of the game as Jordan put the ball in the backpack of the net as the Colombian deflected Brambilla’s attempt after a cross in from Connor.
Goa worked tirelessly in an attempt to cut the deficit as they worked the channels in hopes of finding an opening in the first period.
Goa and Indian head coach Manor Marquez was forced to bring on Amanda Sadiku in place of Herrera around the half-hour mark as the tourists looked for a route back into the game.
Chennai shut the doors on changes for the visitors well through the first half, but the Goan unit got their levelled with a Udantha strike just before the ref called for halftime with Chennai oldboy Sangwan turning provider.
The sides went into the break with the scoreboard at 1-1 and everything to play for in the second period.
The second half was off to a brisk start with the words of the managers still ringing heavily in the player’s heads. Goa went ahead as substitute Sadilku made no mistake in sending a bulge into the net from the spot as he sent Mitra the wrong way.
Marquez opted to bring on Ayush Chhetri on for Rowlin Borges around the hour mark, before Coyle made three changes with Elsinho, Vincy Barretto and Gurkirat Singh replacing Choudhary, Yadwad and Edwards in search of the leveller.
Both managers wanted to trickle the net again in the fixture as Marquez opted to bring on Iker Guarrotxena and Muhammad Yasir for Drazic and Fernandes, while Coyle sent Daniel Chulkwu Cheema in to replace goalscorer Jordan.
Coyle got a good return on his gamble as Chukwu Cheema pulled the hosts back on level terms in the 80th minute.
Both sides went in search of the full month in the final knocking of the game only to cancel each other out to settle for a draw even after eight minutes of second-half stoppage time added on.
