Game week 2 of Indian Super League kicked off in style at Chennai. Home team Chennayin FC played their second match in the tournament against Kerala Blasters. While Chennayin won their league opener against FC Goa, the Blasters lost their first match at Guwahati. Marco Materazzi fielded his team in the same formation of 3-5-2 with Khabra replacing Dhanachandra Singh in left wing-back position. Elano was shifted back to midfield and Colombian striker John Mendoza started upfront along with Balwant Singh. Kerala Blasters replaced Jamie McAllister with promising Indian defender Sandesh Jhingan and Victor Forcada replaced Stephen Pearson in the left wing position.
Chennaiyin FC attacked from the very first move. Right wing-back Abhishek went passed Kerala’s left back Sandesh Jhingan and placed a brilliant cross towards Balwant. The Indian forward attempted a flying header but it went wide. Chennayin could have up by one goal in the very first minute of the match. In the 12th minute mark Gurwinder Singh pulled in a rough tackle on Abhishek Das inside the penalty box. Abhishek went down and referee did not hesitate to award a penalty in favour of the home team. Gurwinder was lucky enough not to concede a second yellow. Brazialin marquee player, Elano finished from the penalty spot. Kerala too had their share of dominance during the half. Sandesh Jhingan and Forcada or Pulga kept on pressing from the left wing. From one suck move, CS Sabeeth took a shot from the penalty box which hit the post. French goalkeeper, Bracigliano collected the rebound brilliantly. Pulga attempted a long ranger which went over the post.
Kerala Blasters restored parity thorugh Hume’s goal in the 50th minute from Pulga’s corner. Nirmal Chhetri headed the ball which was blocked by Chennaiyin’s defence. Humes met the ball and finished comfortably. In the 63rd minute, Elano won a free-kick. The Brazilian curled in a brilliant cross from the spot, which was headed by Balwant Singh. Bernard Mendy finished from a spectacular bicycle kick. The most bizarre moment of the match came in the 65th minute, when Silvestre passed a ball back to Bracigliano who picked up the ball. Referee awarded a free-kick inside the box. That was an amateurish mistake from the French goalkeeper. Trevor James Morgan brought in both Michael Chopra and Andrew Barisic in the second half replacing Penn Orji and Avinabo Bag, which meant he fielded 4 strikers. Humes operated from the midfield.
It was an eventful match which saw a superb goal from Mendy, few heated moments and a bizarre goalkeeping error by Bracigliano. Chennai registered their second win on a row and moved up to the second position in the league table, while Kerala moved down to the last position, failing to secure a single point from two matches. The foreign recruits of Chennai are performing brilliantly along with the Indian group. Chennayin FC are a serious contenders to reach the semi finals.
Chennaiyin FC: Bracigliano (GK) Abhishek Das, Mendy, Gouramangi, Silvestre, Elano, Djordjic, Denson, Khabra, Mendoza, Balwant Singh.
Kerala Blasters: David James (GK), Hengbart, Chhetri, Bag, Jhingan, Gurwinder, Hossain, Orji, Forcada, Hume, Sabeeth.
