In an intense battle at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Thursday, Chennaiyin FC suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat against Mohammedan SC in their second match of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season. The decisive moment came in the 39th minute when Lalremsanga Fanai capitalized on a defensive lapse, putting his team ahead and ultimately securing the victory.
Head coach Owen Coyle opted for a nearly unchanged lineup from their previous encounter against Odisha, which took place 12 days prior. The only modification was Ankit Mukherjee starting at left-back. Samik Mitra held his position as the goalkeeper, while the attack was spearheaded by Daniel Chima Chukwu. He was flanked by Farukh Choudhary and Irfan Yadwad, both tasked with supporting the offensive strategies from the wings.
Farukh Choudhary, who had been instrumental in Chennaiyin’s earlier game against Odisha with two goals, continued his impressive form. He displayed early aggression down the right flank, earning a corner kick through his efforts. The subsequent play saw Irfan Yadwad come close to scoring with a glancing header that drew collective gasps from the crowd, yet narrowly missed the target.
Despite their frequent and promising attacks, particularly focusing on the right-hand side with Connor Shields delivering perilous crosses into the box, Chennaiyin found themselves trailing against the run of play. Mohammedan SC seized a critical opportunity in the 39th minute, with Lalremsanga delivering the crucial blow following a mix-up in Chennaiyin’s defense.
As the second half commenced, Coyle made tactical changes to intensify the offensive pressure. Lukas Brambilla was the first substitution, brought in to infuse creativity into the midfield.
. Following Brambilla, Coyle introduced Wilmar Jordan, Gurkirat Singh, and Kiyan Nassiri, the latter making his debut, in hopes of finding the elusive equalizer.
In an effort to stifle Mohammedan’s forward advances and keep his team in contention, goalkeeper Samik Mitra put on an outstanding display. He executed a series of crucial saves, with his most notable moment arriving in the 90th minute. On this occasion, Mitra showcased his agility and acumen by acrobatically tipping a dangerous shot from Mirjalol Kazimov over the crossbar.
The closing moments of the game were marked by a frantic pace and near-misses. Mohammedan had a golden opportunity to double their advantage when they were awarded a penalty, but they failed to convert it, giving Chennaiyin a lifeline. On the other end, Brambilla’s effort in the dying minutes was agonizingly cleared off the line, denying Chennaiyin an opportunity to equalize and salvage a point from the match.
Reflecting on the match, it was evident that defensive errors and missed chances plagued Chennaiyin’s performance. Head coach Owen Coyle will likely take these learnings into their next fixture, emphasizing the need to tighten up defensive coordination and convert chances into goals.
Looking ahead, Chennaiyin FC will seek redemption as they prepare to take on Hyderabad FC in their upcoming away match on Tuesday. The team and the fans alike hope that this setback will fuel a stronger performance, reigniting their campaign in the ISL 2024-25 season.
This report, sourced from agency feeds, underscores the volatile nature of football where a single moment can turn the tide and critically impact the outcome. Mid-day, however, dissociates itself from any responsibility for the accuracy or reliability of the provided data, maintaining the right to alter or remove the content at its discretion.
