Marcelinho scores brace as Pune add to Chennaiyin’s home woes

FC Pune City recorded a hat-trick of victories in the Hero Indian Super League after inflicting a 2-1 defeat on Chennaiyin FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here on Saturday.
After a goalless first half, CK Vineeth handed the home side the lead with an opportunistic strike in the 55th minute. For a while it looked like Chennaiyin would break their home winning duck this season, but a quickfire double from Marcelinho (59’, 60’) handed Pune all three points as new manager Phil Brown tasted victory in his first match in charge.
The win sees Pune inch to within three points of sixth-placed ATK, while Chennaiyin’s misery at the bottom of the table continued. John Gregory took a bold step when he fielded just three foreign players in his starting line-up. On the other hand, Phil Brown started with Iain Hume and Marcelinho in attack being ably supported by Ashique Kuruniyan, Diego Carlos and Robin Singh.
Pune should have taken the lead in the first minute when Hume did well in finding Robin inside the box but the latter couldn’t sort his feet out with only the keeper to beat.
The visitors saw more of the ball but just couldn’t get behind the Chennaiyin defence. The next chance fell for the home side when Anirudh Thapa floated a cross which saw goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh come off his line and clatter into C.K. Vineeth. The ball fell for Halicharan Narzary who blasted the effort over.
After a goalless first session, it was Vineeth who broke the deadlock in the 55th minute as he drilled the ball home from inside the penalty box. This was after some good work by Augusto and Nelson which eventually found Thapa whose shot took a deflection off Sahil Panwar and fell for Vineeth. The lead, though, lasted for just four minutes as Marcelinho levelled the score with a left footed shot which lacked power but Karanjit fumbled and allowed the ball to sneak in.
The Brazilian scored his second of the evening in the next minute as he got at the end of a pass by Kuruniyan and slotted the ball into the far corner with the Chennaiyin defence at sixes and sevens. Pune could have had a third goal had it not been for a brilliant save by Karanjit to deny Robin’s headed effort.
Chennaiyin did see a lot of possession and threw players forward in the hope of getting an equaliser. They did come close when Nelson’s deflected effort went out off the crossbar but it wasn’t to be and they remain winless in seven home matches.
– Courtesy ISL media
Also Read: Coro in ISL record books as Gaurs end Mumbai’s 9 game unbeaten streak
PIFA to conduct trials for upcoming 2018-19 season
Mumbai based club PIFA will be conducting an open trials for the upcoming season of Youth I league and MDFA Elite division. While the PIFA senior team ply their trade…
India U16 coach Bibiano receives standing ovations from Indonesian & Malaysian Journalists
It’s not often that a rival coach in football is applauded by journalists at the post-match press conference. Moments after India drew 0-0 with Indonesia to earn a berth in the quarterfinals…
Hero ISL Season 5 schedule released with new kick-off timings
Hero Indian Super League today announced the fixtures for 2018-19 until the mid-season break, featuring 12 rounds, 59 games with a kick-off in Kolkata. Fifth edition of Hero ISL will…
Football Events / Local Football / Trials
Trails for youth: Indian Football Academy to hold trials for Youth I-League
Mumbai, 23rd April: Indian Football Academy are having trials for youth players U13, U15, U18 to play in youth I-League. To play at the top level requires a platform and…
A look at the Football Tournaments of India
In the Country so obsessed with Cricket, the fact that some of the world’s oldest football tournaments are played in India undermine the rich legacy of the game. IFA Shield,…
MDFA / MDFA U-14 Youth League / MDFA Youth League
MDFA Youth League under 14 and under 12 Fixtures Announced
The MDFA Committee has announced the fixtures of MDFA youth league under 14 and under 12 on Thursday evening in their office, at Parel. Here are the fixtures: Youth League…
Sahil Tavora becomes first Indian to score in Portuguese League
The Goan, who just last month signed for a Portuguese 4th Division side GDSC Alvarenga, came up with a late winner for his side. Sahil Tavora who had earlier represented…
Post match transcript: FC Goa vs Chennaiyin FC
Are you satisfied with the team’s performance? I am very satisfied with how the team performed today. According to me the team played really well. They created many opportunities to…
College Football / Mumbai University / University College
Mumbai Inter-College Tournament: Pillai College grab 2nd title in 5th consecutive final appearance
Playing their fifth consecutive final of Mumbai university Inter-collegiate football tournament, Pillai College defeated Thakur College with a comfortable 2-0 margin to clinch the University Inter-collegiate football title for the…
WIFA announces Maharashtra Squad for Santosh Trophy
2nd February 2019, Mumbai: Western India Football Association (WIFA) has announced Maharashtra Squad for the upcoming Santosh Trophy (West Zone Qualifiers) 2018-19 which is all set to be held in…
Elite Division: Singh stunner sends Sellebrity packing
Mumbai, February 16, 2019: Shikhar Singh smashed in a dramatic 92nd-minute winner to give Salsette a 1-0 win against Sellebrity at the Cooperage Ground on Saturday. Sellebrity looked good enough…
Hero gold Cup / Recommended / Women Football
HERO GOLD CUP: Myanmar pip spirited Nepal in grand finale
Bhubaneshwar: Myanmar beat Nepal 3-1 in the final of the Hero Gold Cup on Friday thanks to Yee Yee Oo’s brace and a superb goal from Win Theingi Tun. A…
HERO I-LEAGUE: Ralte tricks as East Bengal slam five past Lajong
Kolkata, February 14, 2019: Quess East Bengal (QEB) beat Shillong Lajong 5-0 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) on Thursday to get their fourth victory on the trot. Laldanmawia’s…
MDFA / Recommended / Super Division
Super Division: Abuzer-Kole help Sporting halt Reliance passing machine
Mumbai, February 14, 2019: Tarun Sporting brought Reliance Youth Council’s formidable passing machine to a halt in a 2-0 win at the Neville D’Souza Ground on Thursday. Momin Aakef Abuzer’s ripper…
DERRICK PEREIRA TO COACH INDIA IN AFC U-23 QUALIFIERS
New Delhi, February 13, 2019: Derrick Pereira has been named the Head Coach of the India U-23 Team for the forthcoming AFC U-23 Qualifiers to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan…
Hero Gold Cup: India will bounce back says head coach Rocky
BHUBANESWAR, February 12, 2019: Despite the Indian women’s team suffering a shock loss against Nepal on Monday (February 11, 2019) in their second match of the ongoing Hero Gold Cup, Head…
MDFA / Recommended / Super Division
Super Division: Veigas double rolls the dice in Atlanta’s favor
Mumbai, February 12, 2019: Royston Veigas stepped up for Gaurav Nagarkatti as the former scored a clinical brace to help Atlanta beat SBI 3-2 at the Neville D’Souza Ground on Tuesday….
Hero I-League: Chennai City and Neroca share spoils in six-goal thriller
Imphal, February 11, 2019: Chennai City FC and Neroca FC shared six goals in a thrilling draw as the 12th Hero I-League title race was blown wide open on Monday….
MDFA / Recommended / Super Division
Super Division: Reliance Youth carousel sends West Zone into a tizzy!
Mumbai, February 11, 2019: Reliance Youth Council romped to a 4-1 win against West Zone United at the Neville D’Souza Ground on Monday and gave an exhibition in possession play….
HERO GOLD CUP: India Women put right foot forward as they beat Iran
Bhubaneshwar, February 9, 2019: India Women began Hero Gold Cup campaign on a winning note as they beat Iran by a solitary goal at the Kalinga Stadium on Saturday. Anju Tamang’s winner…