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Chennaiyin FC lost their third game 0-2 against FC Goa in the ISL 2022-23 season in Chennai on Friday. Chennaiyin FC won their first game of the season against ATK Mohun Bagan and then drew their second game against Bengaluru FC.
FC Goa won their first game of the season against East Bengal FC.
Chennaiyin FC wanted to secure their first home win of the season after failing to win against Bengaluru. The Gaurs wanted to continue winning away from home.
Both teams wanted the win as a win would have taken either side to the top of the table.
The game started with the Marina Machans creating some good chances in the first few minutes.
It was the Gaurs, though, who took the lead in the game in the 11th minute. Redeem Tlang headed in a Noah cross to give FC Goa the lead.
Chennaiyin FC created some great chances but failed to convert them Gaurs goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh heroically denying them on multiple occasions.
The scoreboard at halftime read 1-0 in favor of FC Goa.
Chennaiyin FC kept up their relentless pressure in the second half but failed to convert the chances they created. Noah Wail Sadaoui scored in the 90th minute to secure three points for FC Goa.
The scoreboard at full-time read 2-0 in favor of the Gaurs.
On that note, let's take a look at three things we learned from today's game.
#3 Tragic end for FC Goa's goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh
Dheeraj Singh is one of the most highly-rated Indian goalkeepers in the ISL. He has been rated highly since the days of his FIFA U-17 World Cup campaign. He hasn't always lived up to the hype behind his name but has shown what he is capable of in patches. He was fantastic during FC Goa's Asian Champions League campaign in the 2021 edition.
Today the goalkeeper from Manipur was in sublime form. He made six saves today, all of which were crucial for his side. A double save in the first half, which he made in quick succession, was crucial for FC Goa to hold on to their lead.
He made some fine saves in the second half as well. As he was having probably one of the finest games of his career, he suffered a tragic blow.
It started in the 50th minute when he was clobbered by his own defenders. He managed to get up from the incident only to go down ten minutes later due to the injury he suffered in that collision. The situation forced FC Goa to change their goalkeeper as Dheeraj was in no condition to continue.
Carlos Pena will hope that his first-choice keeper is fit soon, especially after the performance he showcased today.
#2 Chennaiyin FC need to work on their defense and finishing
Chennaiyin FC created some great chances today, better than anything FC Goa created throughout the 90minutes. The Marina Machans, though, failed to convert the chances they created. Most of the chances that Chennaiyin FC created were saved by Dheeraj Singh. The strikers should have finished their chances off in a better manner.
Thomas Brdaric's side faced similar issues in their previous game against Bengaluru FC when they failed to finish off the chances they created. Today, they repeated the same mistakes which hurt them dearly. The strikers have let down the midfielders who have created some beautiful chances.
If you thought that finishing was the only issue Chennaiyin FC had then we haven't even started talking about their defense.
Chennaiyin FC have taken a very attacking approach this season. The only game where they defended properly was the opening game against ATK Mohun Bagan. In their last two games, the Marina Machans have played swift attacking football, but have struggled defensively.
Today, the likes of Noah and Redeem Tlang went past the Chennaiyin FC defense without having to do much work. Noah at times ran past the Chennaiyin FC defense in a straight line and there was nothing the Marina Machans could do. The defensive shape was poor from Thomas Brdaric's side and the wingbacks in particular had a tough time dealing with FC Goa's counter attacks.
The major issue has been defending the counterattack and Thomas Brdaric needs to sort this out.
#1 FC Goa keeps winning on the road, Chennaiyin FC falter at home again
FC Goa won their second successive game on the road today and picked up another three points to move to the top of the table. They are the only team to win their first two games and Carlos Pena will hope that his side can continue their away form in their next game against Hyderabad FC, which is in Hyderabad on the 29th of October. The Gaurs haven't showcased excellent football, but have been resilient to secure victories.
In their first game against East Bengal, they secured the winner in injury time. Today, they scored an early goal and held onto the lead before securing the victory in the 90th minute with another goal.
Chennaiyin FC started their season with a bang, winning an away game against ATK Mohun Bagan after going a goal down. But in their last two games, which were played at their home ground in Chennai, they have failed to secure three points.
In their previous game, they drew 1-1 against Bengaluru FC while today they lost 0-2 to FC Goa. Scoring goals has been an issue for the Marina Machans and coach Thomas Brdaric will hope to regain their lost form in the next game against East Bengal on November 4. Their next game will be in the same city and ground in which they won their opening game of the season.
