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Hyderabad FC and Chennaiyin FC spilled points in a 1-1 draw at the Gachibowli Stadium on Thursday, January 12. Bartholomew Ogbeche's late spot-kick put an end to the Blues' hopes of bagging three points after Petar Sliskovic gave them an early lead in the second half.
The Nizams were presented with an excellent opportunity to break the deadlock in the first half, but Spaniard Javier Siverio diverted the ball straight into the hands of Samik Mitra. It was followed by a chance for the opposition when Petar Sliskovic failed to hit the target following an exceptional cross from Akash Sangwan.
Anirudh Thapa also tried his luck from distance on a couple of occasions but failed to test Gurmeet Singh as the ball went wide off the post and headed into half-time with zero goals in the first half.
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However, the visitors' positive start to the second half paid off when Sliskovic opened the scoring in the 50th minute following a fine corner from Sangwan to tie up the Croat.
Just when Marina Machans looked home, Vafa Hakhamaneshi's clumpsy tackle caught Javier Siverio's ankle inside the penalty box to concede a spot-kick in the 87th minute. The ever-reliable Bartholomew Ogbeche beat the young Samik Mitra from the spot to equalize at 1-1.
Both sides appeared unhappy given the context of their league positions. It is a huge hiccup for Hyderabad FC and Chennaiyin FC in their league chase and playoffs spot chase, respectively.
On that note, let's look at Hyderabad FC player ratings from an entertaining 1-1 draw.
Gurmeet Singh - 6/10: Gurmeet Singh was not tested much apart from the goal. The shot-stopper was shaky in his handling and looked unassured between the sticks.
Nikhil Poojary - 5/10: Nikhil Poojary struggled to contain Vincy Barretto and Ninthoi as the duo switched wings often throughout the game. He was unable to make his attacking runs as the opposition kept on pressing him.
Nim Dorjee - 6.5/10: Nim Dorjee was one of the brightest spots at the back for the Nizams. He was able to win some duels against Sliskovic and kept Ninthoi and Vincy quiet for most of the game.
Odei Onaindia - 6.5/10: Odei Onaindia did not look convincing as he was dragged out of his position at times. However, he saved an obvious goal by making a crucial block from Ninthoi to avoid conceding the second goal.
Akash Mishra - 7.5/10: Hyderabad FC's Akash Mishra was the best player on the pitch for Hyderabad. He won numerous duels on the left side of the defense and stopped Ninthoi and Vincy Barretto from making runs behind him.
Borja Herrera - 6/10: Although Borja Herrera played a few long balls in the hope of picking out Ogbeche and Siverio, it did not work out. He was eventually taken off after being dominated by Anirudh Thapa and Jiteshwor Singh.
Hitesh Sharma - 6/10: Just like Herrera, Hitesh found it hard to contain the opponent midfield. He was all over the place and was struggling to cope up with the intensity.
Mohammad Yasir - 5/10: Mohammad Yasir was not able to affect the game as he struggled to beat Akash Sangwan through the right wing. He was eventually taken off in the second half when Hyderabad FC were looking for an equalizer.
Rohit Danu - 6/10: Rohit Danu made some runs behind Ajith during the initial stages of the game but faded off once the Chennaiyin FC right-back gained momentum. He struggled to create chances and failed to test Samik as well.
Bartholomew Ogbeche - 7.5/10: Bartholomew Ogbeche had a chance in the second half to equalize the score when Siverio chested the ball down his path but failed to convert. Nevertheless, his decisive spot-kick proved to be a crucial point in search of Hyderabad's first shield.
Javier Siverio - 7/10: Javier Siverio's hard work nearly paid off in the first half. He made life tougher for the opposition with continuous runs. The Spaniard also won a crucial penalty late in the second half.
Substitutes:
Sahil Tavora - 6.5/10: Sahil solidified the midfielder after replacing Hitesh Sharma in the second half. He was key in winning battles for Hyderabad FC in the second half and offered more protection to the backline.
Abdul Rabeeh - 7/10: Rabeeh produced another dimension for Hyderabad FC after coming on. His introduction forced Chennaiyin FC to play out from the back quickly due to the relentless pressure.
Joel Chianese - 7/10: An energetic performance from the bench, Joel Chianese added more firepower to Hyderabad FC's attacking line. His presence made it hard for Chennaiyin midfield.
Aaren D'Silva - 6.5/10: Aaren nearly broke Chennaiyin FC's hearts with a late strike in the injury time until Vafa's crucial block. He won many duels since coming on the pitch.
Reagan Singh - N/A: He came on during the closing stages of the game.
