ISL 3: Chennaiyin down Pune 2-0 at home

by Chittu Shetty November 16, 2016

Goals from Jeje and Succi minutes before and after break sealed the deal for the home side as they inched closer to play-off spot with Pune’s inconsistency costing them this season

Jeje struck his third goal of the season

With the league preparing to enter the final stages, all eight teams still have a possibility of entering the top four. Chennaiyin FC didn’t miss the chance to take home advantage as Materazzi will be clearly thinking of reducing the goal difference with most teams on neck to neck line.

After openly criticizing Dudu’s inability to finish off in the game against Kerala and Goa, Materazzi decided to play Succi alongside Jeje in the forward line leaving out Nigerian. Eder Montero replaced marquee player John Arne Riise while Karanjit was back between the sticks replacing Jamaican Kerr.

For the visitors, surprisingly Habas decided to bench Eugeneson Lyngdoh, who had secured three points for the stallions in Mumbai with a late goal.

The game began with a dull pace with neither team managing any threatening move inside the opposition box. Although chennaiyin began dominating the possessions at start, Pune slowly came into confidence and began foraying into the chennaiyin box.

Anibal Zurdo’s free kick just whizzed past the post while Lenny Rodrigues failed to come up with better finish as his fine run went to waste after a poor shot that went off target. For Chennaiyin, Raphael Augusto intercepted a ball and went into a run on a counterattack but the brazilian’s final shot from outside the box was over the bar.

Also Read: ISL 3: Ten Men Delhi salvage a draw against ATK

But minutes before a break, 18 year old Jerry’s did well to run into the box playing a one-two with Mulder before crossing it in, Succi on pressure from a Pune defender managed to flick the ball to the unmarked Jeje who timed his jump perfectly to head the ball in to the far corner as Edel Bete remained rooted at his spot. It was the third goal of this season for the forward from Mizoram tying him with Kean Lewis and CK vineeth for the most goals by Indian for this season.

Eugeneson was soon introduced after the break by Pune but minutes after the break; Chennaiyin doubled their lead when Raphael Augusto set up forward Davide Succi with brilliant cross, who headed it past the diving Bete to seal the match in the 51st minute much to the delight of 20,000 fans.

Although Pune did try to come back in to the game, they lacked finishing touches as the game ended with the home side maintaining the two goal margin. The result put Chennaiyin fifth in the table, while Pune slipped to sixth place.

Chennaiyin FC 2 (Jeje 44’, Succi 51’) – 0 FC Pune city