Chennaiyin FC and East Bengal FC share spoils in a cagey encounter | ISL 2023-24

Chennaiyin FC and East Bengal FC played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Saturday, November 25.

The Torchbearers took an early lead courtesy of an own goal by Ayush Adhikari. But Chennaiyin FC made a comeback in the second half, securing a point with a late goal from Ninthoi Meetei.

Both teams were in desperate need of victories leading up to the game in order to propel their place in the league table. The hosts were coming into the match on the back of a resounding 3-0 loss to league leaders FC Goa. East Bengal too faced a challenging period with three consecutive defeats that saw them drop to 10th in the standings.

In response to the defeat to the Gaurs, Owen Coyle opted for three changes. Jordan Murray took the place of the injured Connor Shields, Ajith Kumar stepped in for Sachu Siby at left-back, while Vincy Barretto replaced Rahim Ali.

On the other hand, Carles Cuadrat introduced 21-year-old Vishnu PV and experienced defender Hijazi Maher in the starting lineup. He adopted a back-five system in the hope of improving their defensive performances.

Despite a cagey start, both sides had significant opportunities in the opening 10 minutes. East Bengal nearly scored early with Maher’s header from a corner situation, while Chennaiyin FC’s Adhikari had a powerful long-range strike tipped over the bar by Prabhsukhan Gill.

As the game progressed, Chennaiyin began taking the ascendancy, with Jordan Murray having a clear-cut chance in the 15th minute. Christian Battocchio’s pin-point pass found Murray’s run, but the striker, with the goal gaping in front of him, powered his effort over the bar.

However, it was East Bengal who took the lead against the run of play around the half-hour mark. Vishnu, who was quiet in the opening quarter of the game, burst into life, beating Biskah Yumnam on the left flank.

His attempt to set up Cleiton Silva, however, took an unexpected turn as the ball deflected off Adhikari before finding the back of the net.

As the first half concluded, East Bengal had a narrow lead, even though Chennaiyin FC managed four shots on target, while the visitors had no attempts.

Chennaiyin FC bounce back to secure a vital point

In an effort to alter the game state, Owen Coyle turned to his substitutes. Irfan Yadwad replaced the injured Murray, while Lazar Cirkovic took the place of Yumnam.

In addition to this, Jiteshwor Singh and Ninthoi Meetei also entered the game, which led to an increase in intensity and a shift towards a more direct style of play.

However, the first opportunity of the half fell the Torchbearers’ way around the hour mark. Naorem Mahesh Singh found space in the middle of the park and threaded a through ball to the overlapping Mandar Rao Dessai. The left back’s shot from a tight angle was saved by Chennaiyin’s goalkeeper, Debjit Majumder.

Unlike the first half, where they could play between the lines and involve their creative players, the Marina Machans struggled to create openings in the second half. However, just as hope seemed to be fading for the home fans, Chennaiyin FC leveled the proceedings with only 10 minutes left in regular time.

Irfan Yadwad capitalized on a mistake by Maher, leading to the ball falling kindly to Rafael Crivellaro. The Brazilian then set up Ninthoi, who beat Prabhsukhan Gill from a sharp angle, much to the delight of Coyle and the home supporters.

Following that goal, Chennaiyin FC gained momentum, but East Bengal managed to hold on despite a few late chances for the hosts. The draw elevated the Kolkata giants to eighth in the table, while Chennaiyin FC remained seventh with seven points to their name.