Chennaiyin FC secured its first home win of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season after edging Hyderabad FC 1-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Wednesday, in what was head coach Owen Coyle’s 50th league game in charge of the club.
Before the match, Coyle demanded more goals from his side and it seemed to be the agenda from the get-go.
Chennaiyin set off on the right foot with Wilmar Jordan Gil’s header from a Connor Shields free-kick, drifting just wide of the goal in the opening minute.
Kiyan Nassiri, who was making just his second start of the campaign was a livewire down the right wing and almost opened the scoring in the third minute with a left-footed strike from the edge of the box, which whizzed just past the right post.
Moments later, Shields found Yadwad’s run into the box with a pinpoint pass but ended up skying the ball from close range.
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The young winger got his redemption almost immediately after Brazilian Lukas Brambilla played the ball into his path with a perfectly weighted pass. This time, aided by a fortunate deflection off Soyal Joshy, Yadwad found the back of the net for his second goal of the season.
Despite CFC’s early charge, HFC managed to slowly ease itself into the game, with Andrei Alba testing the opposition goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz with a strike from outside the box, in the 23rd minute.
The visitor’s best chance of the half came in the ensuing corner where Alba smashed the ball into the woodwork after meeting a loose ball inside the box.
CFC was handed a blow just after the half-hour mark when captain Ryan Edwards was forced off the pitch and replaced by Elsinho, after sustaining an injury. Despite this, HFC failed to create any clear-cut chances around a well-settled home defence.
Yadwad had the chance to double his tally of the night but failed to reach a curling cross played into the box by Laldinliana Renthlei.
Cy Goddard almost levelled things up on the brink of halftime with a left-footed shot from the edge of the box, which ended up going just wide of the top left corner.
The match took an unfortunate pause, 10 minutes into the second half after Elsinho collided with his teammate P.C.Laldinpuia inside their own box.
Both players stayed on the ground while the other teammates urgently signalled for the medical staff. After receiving initial treatment, an ambulance was quickly called, and Elsinho was transferred to it wearing a neck brace.
HFC seemed more livelier and physical as the game progressed, but, despite numerous crosses from either wing, off Abdul Rabeeh Anjukandan and Ramhlunchhunga, the Nizams failed to trouble the CFC custodian.
Coyle, on the other hand, turned to his bench for another goal, bringing on Daniel Chima Chukwu, Farukh Choudhary and Jitendra Singh while still keeping the likes of Gil and Shields on the pitch.
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Farukh nearly sealed the game in the first minute of added time but saw his close-range attempt meander just wide of the goal.
With just three minutes of the added 10 remaining, Shields was sent off after receiving a second yellow for time-wasting.
However, in the end, Yadwad’s early strike remained the only point of difference in the game as the home side secured all three points.
CFC climbed to seventh in the table, level on 15 points with sixth-placed NorthEast United which has played one game less. HFC on the other hand, sits 12th on the table with seven points from 11 games.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com