AHMEDABAD: It was ugly but Chennaiyin FC got the job done. A 1-0 win in their final home game of the AFC Cup group stage leaves them as favourites to progress to the next stage. The late winner itself may have been rather fortuitous, but Chennaiyin coach John Gregory won’t care. He’ll take the three points.
Gregory made just a solitary change to the side that won 2-0 against Nepali club Manang Marshyangdi, Dhanpal Ganesh coming in for Germanpreet Singh. Ganesh and Aussie midfielder Chris Herd were supposed to form a screen ahead of the Chennaiyin backline and lend some defensive stability, but it was Abahani that started the match on the front foot. Former Kerala Blasters forward Kervens Belfort went close in the second minute, glancing a header wide from a corner.
The home team’s bane, as has been all season, was the wretched form of their forwards. Jeje Lalpekhlua’s partner up front was the 36-year-old Mohammad Rafi and the duo lacked any serious pace to trouble the Abahani defence. Like their previous games, it was left to the others to try and fashion something. Centre-back Mailson came close in the 21st minute. His header off an Anirudh Thapa freekick required an excellent save from Abahani keeper Sahidul Alam.’
Around the half-hour mark, Gregory’s plans suffered a blow when Herd was taken off following a collision with Abahani forward Sunday Chizoba. The Australian was visibly displeased as Germanpreet trotted out to replace him, signalling to the bench that he could soldier on. Abahani nearly went in front in the 42nd minute when Mohammad Ziban poked Masih Saigani’s header into the net. The referee’s assistant though had his flag up. Minutes after that, Chennaiyin had their own chance to go in front, Ganesh heading wide off a Jerry Lalrinzuala corner wide.
Gregory made a bid to re-energise his attack in the second half, dragging off his ineffectual forwards. CK Vineeth came on for Jeje while youngster Isaac Vanmalsawma replaced Rafi. The duo too made little progress in breaking down the stubborn Abahani defence. But just as it looked like the match would peter out into yet another goalless draw, a goal arrived in unexpected fashion.
In the 79th minute, Isaac’s pass released Thapa down the left and the latter tried to cross it to Vineeth waiting in the middle. The ball though took a heavy deflection off Abahani’s Brazilian defender Wellington Priori and trickled over the goalline. The win leaves Chennaiyin top of the group with seven points from three games.