Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: FC Goa suffered their second successive defeat against Chennaiyin FC in the Hero Indian Super League at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Saturday.
In a game that saw 39 shots at goal, Rahim Ali (53’) scored the match-winner after Jorge Ortiz (9’) cancelled out Rafael Crivellaro’s (5’) opener.
It was an easy win for the visitors who should have finished with a bigger goal margin, had it not for their poor finishing.
Chennaiyin FC fired warning shots early in the game. Thapa made a darting run on the right and cut the ball back to an unmarked Crivellaro. The latter’s first-time shot was pushed behind by Mohammad Nawaz.
The visitors were soon ahead in the game and it came from a moment of individual brilliance. Crivellaro got his corner-kick to loop over the Goa defenders and land in goal.
But the lead lasted for just four minutes as the Gaurs came up with an instant response in the 9th minute. Ortiz found Alexander Jesuraj on the right who squared the ball back to the Spaniard. His shot found the roof of the net. Chennaiyin displayed attacking prowess in the first half and should have been up by two or more goals. But a couple of missed sitters from Crivellaro and Chhangte along with Nawaz’s brilliance in the Goa goal saw the scores remain level.
Brandon then tried his luck from a distance with a curling shot but Vishal Kaith did well to deny the Goan lad. Chennaiyin finally got their deserved lead in the 53rd minute when Crivellaro kept his composure in beating Donachie before playing a low cross at the far post where Rahim Ali had little work to tap the ball into empty net.
