Second home defeat for Chennaiyin

FC Goa regained the top spot in the Indian Super League (ISL) after trumping Chennaiyin FC 4-3 in an edge-of-the-seat contest at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Thursday.First half goals from Ahmed Jahouh (26’), Brandon Fernandes (41’) and Hugo Boumous (46’) set Goa on its way. Chennaiyin threatened to come back with strikes from Andre Schembri (57’) and Rafael Crivellaro (59’) but Ferran Corominas (63’) added a fourth for the away side. Crivellaro managed to reduce the deficit to one in injury time, setting up a grandstand finish.

However, Sergio Lobera’s team held on. Goa heads the table with 21 points from 10 matches whereas Chennaiyin’s second home loss has left it at eighth with nine points after as many games. The host started the game on a positive note but couldn’t maintain its aggression in the attacking third for long.

Intricate build-up play by Nerijus Valskis and Crivellaro at the edge of the box nearly created an opening for CFC but the former’s backheel return for the latter’s forward run was well defended and cleared by the visitor’s backline. Goa soon took control of the midfield and struck the opening goal in the 26th minute.

Chennaiyin lost the ball in midfield and allowed Corominas to charge into the final third. The striker found Boumous to his right, who in turn placed the ball into the feet of Jahouh inside the box. The midfielder finished well past Vishal Kaith to break the deadlock. With CFC struggling to make a mark and respond to the first goal, Goa added its second four minutes before the break.

Lucian Goian failed to control Germanpreet Singh’s back pass and gifted it to an onrushing Brandon, who executed a neat strike. The host suffered another setback at the stroke of half-time as Goa took advantage of lacklustre defending once again. Jackichand Singh’s cross from the right flank found Boumous at the far post and the midfielder had enough time to caress the ball into the net to make it 3-0.

Owen Coyle’s half-time team talk seemed to have done the trick for Chennaiyin which nearly pulled off a comeback with two goals in two minutes close to the hour-mark. The Goa defence failed to clear Crivellaro’s inswinging corner from the right and the ball fell to Schembri, who put it into the back of the net.

Lallianzuala Chhangte then wrestled with Seriton Fernandes for the ball near the byline. Valskis pounced on to the loose ball and passed it to Crivellaro, who fired it past Mohammed Nawaz to give the home crowd hope. The hopeful period of play didn’t last long as Goa added to its tally from a break four minutes later.

Boumous split the home defence with an excellent through ball for Corominas, who beat the offside trap, opened up his body and slotted the ball into the net with aplomb. But Chennaiyin struck in injury time and set up a nervy finish. Nawaz punched a corner delivery which Thapa headed into the path of Crivellaro inside the box.

The forward turned and curled a stunning strike into the corner of the net. CFC’s Edwin Sydney Vanspaul was sent off for a second yellow card amid chaotic final few minutes as Goa sneaked past the home side.