Chennaiyin tops table

Authoritative second half show does the trick against PCFC

January 13, 2018 10:56 pm | Updated 10:56 pm IST - Chennai

Goal-scorer: Gregory Nelson (jersey No. 7) finished off a slick through ball from Raphael Augusto to ensure full points for Chennaiyin FC.

Goal-scorer: Gregory Nelson (jersey No. 7) finished off a slick through ball from Raphael Augusto to ensure full points for Chennaiyin FC.

Chennaiyin FC moved to the top of the table with an authoritative second-half performance by downing Pune City FC 1-0 at the Nehru Stadium on Saturday.

Gregory Nelson emphatically finished off a slick through ball from Brazilian Raphael Augusto in the 83rd minute.

CFC assistant coach Sabir Pasha had promised that the team will not concede a late goal in the matches to come, and the players rose to the occasion by defending well in the dying minutes.

The Brazilian was a surprise omission from the playing eleven with John Gregory preferring Rene Mihelic in his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation

Pune City FC coach Ranko Popovic continued with his 4-2-3-1 with Diego Carlos taking the place of the suspended Marcelinho.

CFC made its intentions clear in the opening minutes, bypassing FCPC’s midfield and reaching out to either Jeje Lalpekhlua or Gregory Nelson. But all the long balls to the desired targets fetched zero returns.

FCPC handled the initial minutes with maturity and intelligence. It also started playing flowing football, combing the CFC defence with clever movement.

Sublime pass

One such move almost got FCPC the lead in the eighth minute. Diego Carlos found himself through on goal after a sublime pass by Emiliano Alfaro.

Karanjit Singh drove forward and blocked the shot well, and the rebound fell to Ashique Kuruniyan. The Indian took a touch before sending in a tame effort which was blocked by central defender Mailson Alves.

The contest flowed, with the visitors growing more confident. They were camping almost in the CFC half, looking for opportunities.

CFC then had a game-changing moment — which it failed to capitalise on — when referee Raktim Saha awarded a controversial penalty in the 22nd-minute after Nelson made the most of Adil Khan’s slight push in the box, following a counter-attack. FCPC ’keeper Vishal Kaith dived the right way to block Mihelic’s weak shot.

After the incident, FCPC virtually had unlimited possession and moved the ball around swiftly, swarming all over its opponents. But, a combination of tame finishing and dogged defending allowed CFC reach the interval unscathed.

The initial minutes of the second-half saw a series of moves and counter-moves. But it came into life after Augusto came on to the pitch. There was a huge roar when the Brazilian entered and he did not disappoint the supporters.

There was plenty to like about his performance: the way his pace stretched the Pune defence, the spaces he found in the final third and the strength and composure he showed in winning the ball.

The result: Chennaiyin FC 1 (Nelson 83) bt Pune City FC 0.

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