ISL 2024-25: Chennaiyin FC Fall to Defeat Against NorthEast United in Penultimate League Match
The Marina Machans will finish the season at home against Jamshedpur FC on March 9
Chennai, March 3, 2025: Despite a second-half improvement, Chennaiyin FC fell to a 3-0 defeat against playoff chasers NorthEast United in their penultimate match of Indian Super League 2024-25 at home on Monday.
Fullback Ankit Mukherjee came into the team at right back, with Pritam Kotal shuffling inside to play as a centreback and Elsinho stepping out in a screening midfield role. Vincy Barretto replaced Farukh Choudhary on the wing in the only other change from the previous match.
A frantic start saw Chennaiyin go down behind early, after Nestor Albiach rifled the ball into the corner from distance, seconds after Mohammad Nawaz had superbly denied Jithin MS one-on-one. The Marina Machans responded to the early concession purposefully, with both Connor Shields and Wilmar Jordan Gil testing goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh from close range with efforts on target.
The visitors grabbed a second in the 26th minute through Jithin. At the other end, Irfan Yadwad ran intently down the line, but his pulled cross was just ahead of Jordan Gil. NorthEast added a third through Alaaeddine Ajaraie in the 38th minute when the Moroccan slammed home the rebound following a strong Ryan Edwards block. Vincy’s near-post drive, minutes later, was turned behind by Gurmeet while Edwards flicked a header wide from a corner to close out the half.
Head coach Owen Coyle changed three at the break, with Lukas Brambilla, Jitendra Singh, and PC Laldinpuia joining the action. Minutes after his introduction, Brambilla saw his curled effort from inside the box parried away by Gurmeet. Just past the hour, Connor Shields stung the goalkeeper’s palms with a powerful shot from a tight angle.
Sixty-four minutes in, Nawaz, with his fingertips, prevented Ajaraie from adding another to his tally. At the other end, Jordan Gil had the ball in the back of the net, only for his goal to be ruled offside as the clock ticked down. Chennaiyin finished the game with ten men after Edwards collected a second yellow. Into the stoppage time, Maheson Singh made his Chennaiyin FC debut after signing for the club in the winter.
The Marina Machans will look to bounce back and finish the regular ISL season on a positive note when they take on Jamshedpur FC on March 9, Sunday.
