>FC Goa chief coach Zico’s master strategy panned out exactly the way he wanted it to. Playing deep with five defenders, Goa blunted the attacking instincts of host Chennaiyin FC and went on to score two goals through penalties to emerge triumphant in their Hero-Indian Super League clash at the Nehru Stadium here on Thursday.
With the victory, Goa rose to top of the table with 14 points from eight matches while Chennaiyin remains on 10 from the same number of matches.
With captain Lucio in the centre flanked by Gregory Arnolin and Luciano Sobroso, the defence played an exceptional role in controlling a marauding Mendoza and a skilful Elano.
The duo did all it could, especially in a listless first session, >which was dominated by Chennaiyin FC and not to mention Narayan Das and Raju Gaikwad who played a huge role on the flanks.
FC Goa scored through the Brazilians, Leonardo Moura and Jonatan Lucca, with both goals coming in the second half.
The visitor went ahead in the 64th minute. In a blistering counter-attack, Rafael Coelho was brought down by Bernard Mendy, and the referee rightly showed the spot apart from flashing the yellow card on the Frenchman.
Moura took the penalty, wrong-footing the goalkeeper Karanjit Singh by kicking to the ’keeper’s left.
As it happens in such cases, the momentum changed completely soon after.
FC Goa attacked with vigour through the right with Das and on the left with Gaikwad.
On the defensive, Chennaiyin FC panicked and conceded another penalty.
This time the culprit was defender Wadoo, who in trying to block Rafael’s shot, saw the ball touch his hands.
This time Lucca scored as Karanjit once again moved the wrong way.
The host failed to take the few chances that came its way in the first half. Fikru couldn’t do much as a striker.
Expectedly, all eyes were on Mendoza and Elano. Mendoza’s effort off a corner by Elano that kissed the side bar was the closest that Chennaiyin FC came.
Playing his first match after his suspension was reduced to two matches from four, Harmanjot Khabra was shown the red card when he brought down Moura towards the end of the second half. The match was practically over for the host by then.
Playing in a 5-3-2 formation, FC Goa was pathetic upfront for most of the first session.
There was little its strikers did in the first half. The lone decent strike emerged from Das whose left-foot attempt from close range went over the post.
It is a cause for concern that the host has conceded seven penalties in total.
Though chief coach Marco Materazzi said the other day that of them only two counted, he, for sure, would agree that the two today were fair and square.
The result: FC Goa 2 (Moura 64-p, Lucca 78-p) bt Chennaiyin FC 0.
