Dominant but unlucky Chennaiyin FC held to a draw by Bengaluru FC
Goa, February 5, 2021: Chennaiyin FC were held to their sixth 0-0 draw of the season when they faced Bengaluru FC at the Fatorda Stadium in the Indian Super League on Friday night.
Csaba Laszlo’s CFC outplayed Naushad Moosa’s side but were kept out by a combination of the BFC goalpost and their goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu on multiple instances. The result took the Marina Machans to 17 points in eighth place with four more league games left to play. Their next opponents will be Jamshedpur FC on February 10th, who are currently one point and one spot ahead of the men in blue.
Three changes were made to the CFC starting eleven that lost 2-0 to Hyderabad FC in the previous game. New signing Manuel Lanzarote made his debut, as Anirudh Thapa and Enes Sipovic returned from injury and suspension respectively, giving the team a more balanced look.
Forward Isma Goncalves first tested Gurpreet in the fifth minute as a shot from outside the area was parried away by the latter. Five minutes later winger Lallianzuala Chhangte came close after he was picked out by a delightful Thapa cross at the far post, the Mizo livewire’s powerful header going straight into Gurpreet’s grateful arms.
Bengaluru’s only real chance came after the half hour mark when Harmanjot Khabra’s cut back was sent goalwards by Sunil Chhetri’s strong shot. CFC skipper Eli Sabia however threw in a superb block to send it out for a corner.
Chhangte then had a snapshot that was saved comfortably by Gurpreet, before Lanza showed his class on the ball. Five minutes before the break, Chhangte picked Khabra’s pocket and set up Lanza on the left. The Spaniard charged to the edge of the box before pinging a chipped pass across goal for the overlapping Isma. However Gurpreet got fingertips to it, guiding the ball onto onrushing wing-back Parag Shrivas’ feet and out into touch.
Chennaiyin upped the ante in the second half, as Lanza went close yet again. A clipped free-kick from the right flank beat Gurpreet but found the crossbar and went over.
The former FC Goa and ATK midfielder then turned provider after the hour mark to create CFC’s best chance of the night. An inch-perfect lobbed through ball took out BFC’s entire defence to find Isma one-on-one with Gurpreet, only for the Portuguese striker to blast it at the Indian custodian.
Chhangte then went close twice in as many minutes. First, Khabra’s misplaced header sent the Mizo winger clear, however he dwelled for too long on the ball and failed to test Gurpreet. A minute later Isma’s backheel pass into Chhangte’s stride was hit first-time towards goal, only for Gurpreet to pull off yet another save and send it wide.
On 84 minutes, Laszlo was left cursing the heavens as his side applied relentless pressure. Memo Moura came the closest as his thunderbolt of a free-kick clattered the upright with Gurpreet scrambling. It just wasn’t meant to be for Chennaiyin as it finished goalless despite their desperate efforts.
RESULT: Bengaluru FC 0 drew with Chennaiyin FC 0
