Chennaiyin FC held to a draw against FC Goa as Sylvestr and Chhangte score
Goa, February 13, 2021: An Igor Angulo penalty and an injury-time Ishan Pandita equalizer ensured FC Goa held Chennaiyin FC to a 2-2 draw in Bambolim on Saturday night in the Indian Super League. This, after Jakub Sylvestr and Lallianzuala Chhangte had broken their respective goal droughts to give Chennaiyin the lead twice on the night.
Chennaiyin FC Head Csaba Laszlo, celebrating his 57th birthday on the matchday, made three changes as Edwin Vanspaul and Jakub Sylvestr replaced Germanpreet Singh and Isma Goncalves respectively, as left back Jerry Lalrinzuala returned from suspension. CFC came into this one needing to win all their remaining three league games to retain slim chances of their semis qualification and made a bright start with Sylvestr at the forefront of things. Spaniard Manual Lanzarote was lively on the ball, coming up against his former team in the ISL.
After a scrappy start, Sylvestr opened the scoring with just his second goal of the season. After a one-two with right back Reagan Singh, the Slovakian striker showcased nimble footwork to beat Edu Bedia and Adil Singh before stabbing home to Dheeraj Singh’s left. A rare strike for the CFC No. 9 in what has been an otherwise frustrating season.
Goa hit back soon after though, with the referee deeming Chennaiyin skipper Eli Sabia to have his arm in an unnatural position as Angulo’s header struck it on the way out for a corner. On the second time of asking, Goa’s top-scorer beat Vishal Kaith from the spot to level matters.
The game turned into an entertaining end-to-end affair in the final ten minutes of the first period, first through Chhangte whose turn-and-shot from the edge of the box went just wide of Dheeraj’s left post. The Goa custodian then almost gifted Chennaiyin a second minutes later when his loose clearance found its way to Sylvestr, who showed him the eyes before shooting at the near post only for the ball to bounce off the upright. It somehow remained 1-1 at the break.
Vishal in the CFC goal pulled off a stunning save soon after the restart as Glan Martins got on the end of Alexander Romario’s cut-back and fired it towards the bottom corner.
Sylvestr almost double his tally for the night when Jerry picked him out at the near post, but the former’s close-range shot was sent out for a corner by Dheeraj.
It was however the young Indian goalkeeper at fault on the hour mark when CFC did manage to regain the lead. Reagan’s hopeful lobbed cross into the box was missed by Dheeraj and his backline as Chhangte was left with the simple task of tapping into an empty net from an angle. The Mizo speedster managed to notch his second of the campaign.
Chennaiyin made a bunch of changes as Deepak Tangri, Germanpreet Singh and Thoi Singh came on in the closing stages. But it was Goa’s super-sub Ishan Pandita who brought the scores level in the second minute of stoppage time, when he converted from Alberto Noguera’s through ball.
As both sides searched for the winner, it was an unsavory end to the game as Edu Bedia looked to have bit Deepak Tangri on the side of the latter’s back after both players had gone in for a header. Replays clearly showed Bedia holding Deepak down while biting into the side of his back, amounting to unsporting behavior and harmful physical conduct through his disgraceful actions. After a calming of tempers, the referee soon blew the full time whistle as it ended 2-2.
Chennaiyin next face NorthEast United FC in their penultimate league stage game on Thursday 18th January 2021 at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim.
RESULT: Chennaiyin FC 2 (Jakub Sylvestr 13’, Lallianzuala Chhangte 60’) drew with FC Goa 2 (Igor Angulo 19’ (P), Ishan Pandita 90+1)
