CHENNAI: For the longest period, it looked like a classical Steve Coppell game at the JN Stadium on Sunday. Jamshedpur had taken a first-half lead through Wellington Priori’s 32nd-minute strike — a sweetly struck volley from just outside the box. But that — and Farukh Choudhary missing with an open goal gaping soon after — was about it for the visitors. Chennaiyin, especially in the second half, were dominant and attacked in droves, but to no avail.
Coppell’s defence held firm and for all of Chennaiyin’s offensive intent, they did not have a single shot on target for 89 minutes. It looked like it was going to be another 1-0 to Jamshedpur — every victory they’ve had this season has been by a one-goal margin. It is difficult to sum up the second half better than how the home side’s coach John Gregory did after the game. “They kept smashing it out of their own half and we kept retrieving the ball and going back at them,” he said. “It was almost like a training session.”
But then, Mohammed Rafi, the man with the golden head, popped up in the 89th minute. The Jamshedpur defence, who had put up something of a masterclass in back-to-the-wall defending for much of the game, committed the cardinal sin of not marking a player who was known for two things — scoring as a substitute and scoring with his head.
He did just that, his looping header eluding goalkeeper Subrata Paul, making it 1-1 and sparking a roar of relief across the JN Stadium. The goal was Rafi’s eighth across four seasons of the ISL. Astoundingly, all eight have come off his head!
On the sidelines, Gregory breathed a sigh of relief. This wasn’t the kind of match his team was supposed to lose, not at such a vital juncture.
Chennaiyin were, by far, the better team across ninety minutes — they dominated possession with 61 per cent while their opponents completed less than half the number of passes they did. A point felt unfair. Going home with none would have been demoralising.
“My face probably doesn’t show it, but I am delighted,” said Gregory, after the game. “After that second-half performance, we probably deserved all three points. That is our fourth game in 12 days. Nobody will be prouder in the ISL of their team as I am right now.” “It almost felt like three points,” he added.
Indeed it did, for the point eliminates a lot of variables for Chennayin and practically clears their path to the semifinals. They now have 28 points with two games left.
Their next games are away to the underwhelming Kerala Blasters, who mathematically are still in contention, and at home to Mumbai City FC. A win in either of these games would put them at 31 points, which would ensure qualification. The best-case scenario for both Jamshedpur and FC Goa is 32 points. But only one of them can get there, for they play each other.
For Jamshedpur, they have a week to think about what could have been before taking on toppers Bengaluru at home. Then comes what is increasingly looking like a winner-takes-all playoff game against Goa.
vishnu.prasad@newindianexpress.com