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Zico’s FC Goa registered a comfortable 2-0 victory over their fellow South Indian franchise Chennaiyin FC in their own backyard to move to the summit of the ISL table. The match saw an erratic home side give away two penalties and had a player sent off in the second half to cap off an indisciplined performance which made the job of the visitors much easier than they had probably anticipated.
Leo Moura and Jonatan both scored from the spot to gift Goa an important away win.
With this impressive victory, the Goans leapfrog today’s opponents and move to the top with 14 points from eight games. Meanwhile, Chennaiyin missed a glorious opportunity to move into the top of the table with this defeat and sit in fifth place with 10 points from eight matches.
First Half
Chennaiyin manager Marco Materazzi handed a start to Ethiopian striker Fikru Teferra, as one of four changes that also saw Bernard Mendy, Dhanachandra Singh and Harmanjot Khabra return to the starting lineup. Goa handed a debut to Rafael Coelho. Laxmikant Kattimani also came into the starting eleven in place of Elinton Andrade.
Chennaiyin were quick out of the blocks as Stiven Mendoza worked Kattimani within the first minute. They looked hungrier in the early exchanges as Goa looked content to absorb the pressure and possibly hit Chennaiyin on the counter.
Dhanachandra was the next to threaten as a marauding run into the Goan box saw him with space, but his effort was deflected into the hands of Kattimani. Goa then won a free-kick in a promising position as Raphael Augusto fouled the eager Thongkoisep Haokip. Jonatan Lucca's effort though deflected off the wall for a corner, which was headed over by Luciano Sabrosa.
Chennaiyin got themselves a free kick in Elano territory as Mendoza was fouled by Sabrosa. But the Brazilian marquee player for Chennaiyin could only hit the wall. The action was subdued as neither team could find the bit of quality to unlock the defenses. Wadoo was impressive for Chennaiyin as he shut out Narayan Das's enterprising runs down his flank.
It took into the 35th minute for the next chance to arrive as Khabra set off a Chennaiyin counter attack, for Mendoza to find Elano whose shot was blocked. The resulting corner fell to Mendoza who missed a gilt-edged opportunity to put Chennaiyin in front. Haokip was then set up by Leo Moura but the youngster delayed his shot which allowed Wadoo to get in.
Dhanachandra then forayed forward but hit a tame shot straight at Kattimani.
In what was a largely uninspiring first half, both coaches would have been thinking of a way to infuse life into the game
Second Half
The second half started off with Goa on the offensive, with Haokip's shot being blocked by Alessandro Potenza, and Leo Moura straying into an offside position. After that, though, the pattern of the first half recurred as neither team seemed to be doing enough to break down the opposition.
In the 62nd minute, Goa were awarded a penalty as Mendy brought down Rafael Coelho. The Frenchman was yellow carded and Leo Moura dispatched the penalty with aplomb to give Goa the lead.
Goa had a chance to extend their lead as Coelho put in a fabulous pass that Haokip was a whisker away from making contact with. Mendoza then had a sniff of goal as Khabra found him running in behind the Goa defense, but the Colombian's touch let him down at the crucial moment.
Materazzi then made the decision to put on Bruno Pelissari in place of the ineffective Fikru.
Goa then got another penalty. The brilliant Moura cut the ball back for Coelho, and his shot found the arm of Wadoo who was diving in to block the shot. Jonatan was very calm as he sent Karanjit the wrong way to double the Gaurs' lead.
Materazzi sent on another striker in Balwant Singh as Chennaiyin seemed to be going for broke. Chennaiyin were getting increasingly frustrated with decisions that didn't go their way. Elano, in particular, was a constant dissenting figure.
Nicolau Colaco was brought on for Raju Gaikwad and was booked seconds after coming on for a foul on Pelissari. Elano once again fluffed his lines from a set piece as his free kick hit the wall. Chennaiyin's bleak chances of a comeback were well and truly put to rest, as Khabra was red-carded for an ugly two-footed challenge on Moura. The resulting free kick from Jonatan wasn't too far away.
In the end, it was a game in which Chennaiyin's discipline - the lack of it - cost them as they fell prey to having conceded two penalties.
