Doubt over CFC-NEUFC tie due to CAB protest
CHENNAI : A final decision on whether the NorthEast United-Chennaiyin FC encounter, scheduled in Guwahati on Thursday, will go forward will be taken hours before the match, ISL sources revealed.
The city has been hit by protests after the Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. “The league is in constant communication with the law and order authorities in Guwahati, and we will take a call on whether the match should go forward by Thursday afternoon,” sources revealed.
The Chennaiyin team is already in the city. Despite the turmoil, it has been learnt that the team was able to have a practice session on Wednesday. The league had earlier cancelled the pre-match press conferences for both teams.The match, if it is held, will mark Owen Coyle’s second game in charge with the Blues, who are still looking for an away win this season. His first game ended 1-1 away in Jamshedpur.
Chennaiyin lie at ninth spot on the table, with six points from seven matches.
Odisha beat Hyderabad
A 10-man Odisha FC picked up their second win of the season as they overcame Hyderabad FC 3-2 in PuneCarlos Delgado in the 27th minute and Xisco Hernandez in the 41st minute gave Odisha a first-half lead before Hyderabad’s Bobo scored from the spot in the 65th minute to set up a nervy finish. Further complicating things for the home side was Vinit Rai’s sending off in the 65th minute. Odisha were awarded a penalty of their own at the other end in the 71st minute, which Martin Guedes converted to secure the three points. Rohit Kumar pulled one back at the death for the home side in the 89th minute but it was too little too late.
The hosts’ intent to get off the mark quickly was evident as they pressed high up the field in a bid to launch one attack after another. Aridane Santana flicked a good cross-field ball by Diawandou Diagne into the path of Nandhakumar Sekar who was dispossessed by Adil Khan with a brilliant tackle just before the winger could get a shot away. Odisha are sixth on the table with nine points while Hyderabad are at the bottom with four points.