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Nishu Kumar’s own goal along with strikes from Wilmar Jordan and Daniel Chima Chukwu helped Chennaiyin FC outclassed East Bengal FC 3-0 in the 2024-25 Indian Super League.
ISL 2024-25: Chennaiyin FC Beat East Bengal FC 0-3 at the VYBK. (X)
Chennaiyin FC thrashed East Bengal FC 3-0 in the 2024-25 Indian Super League at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday.
Nishu Kumar’s own goal along with strikes from Wilmar Jordan and Daniel Chima Chukwu helped Chennaiyin replace East Bengal in the 10th spot on the points table.
It was East Bengal who had the first shot on goal after Irfan Yadwad lost possession with the home side countering quickly. Another positional mistake from Pritam Kotal meant Dimitrios Diamantakos claimed the ball, who in turn passed it to Richard Celis, but the ball fell to PV Vishnu and his shot was a tame one, gathered rather easily by Mohammed Nawaz in the 3rd minute. The Chennaiyin FC goalkeeper hurt himself in the process and needed the physio to have a look, holding up play.
The game opened up with either mid-field trying to wrestle control. It was Saul Crespo, who returned to the starting XI after injury, game away the ball in the middle of the park as Wilmar Jordan took over. He slipped in Conor Shileds, who managed to get round the onrushing Prabhsukhan Gill but almost ran out of the pitch. A smart back heel was somehow turned in by a sliding Nishu Kumar, as the ball went past Lal Chungnunga for an owl goal in the 13th minute.
Come the 20th minute, Jordan doubled Chennaiyin’s lead. Irfan Yadwad received the ball in the right wing with Nishu to beat, which he did rather easily and sent in an early cross as the Colombian Jordan got in front of Chungnunga and turned the ball into the back of the net.
East Bengal boss Oscar Bruzon gave his bye and earful.
Despite conceding the goals, East Bengal did relent in their attempt to find the back of the net themselves. Naorem Mahesh, Celis, Crespo, Vishnu and Diamantakos all persevered but Chennaiying held on.
In the 41st minute, Laldinpuia was penalised for his challenge on Celis as the referee brought out the yellow card. Crespo stepped up but his effort from the free-kick was well side of the post.
The half winded down with Chennaiyin FC holding on to their lead.
At the restart, Bruzon opted to bring off Hector Yuste and brought on Provat Lakra with Jeakson Singh slotting into the backline and Nishu pushing up into mid-field.
It was East Bengal again in the opening exchanges as the home side commanded the lion’s share of possession. Vishnu looked lively and was dangerously brought down by Dinpuia, who had been cautioned already.
Nishu stepped up to send in the free-kick from the left as Crespo found the ball coming towards him at the far post but his sliding effort went agonisingly wide in the 55th minute.
Barely three minutes later, Chungnunga found Celis winning in behind the defence with a brilliant long ball but the Venezuelan’s shot only ruffled the side-netting.
Changes followed as Messi Bouli and Nandhakumar Sekar came on for Crespo and Mohamad Rakip for East Bengal as Chennaiyin’s Ryan Edwards and Farukh Choudhary replaced Dinpuia and Lukas Brambilla. Soon after Jiteshwor Singh was down injured and Owen Coyle brought on Jitendra Singh in his place.
East Bengal looked to flood the penalty box and whip in crossed but could not convert their chances and with the game again turning into an end-to-end affair, Anwar Ali was brought on in Nishu’s place.
Chennaiyin too brought on more fresh faces as the duo of Daniel Chima Chukwu and Kiyan Nassiri replaced Jordan and Shields respectively.
Substitutes Messi, Anwar had chances but scuffed their efforts as Kiyan and Chima tried their best to add more goals to the scoreline.
Chungnunga saw red in added time after 90 for a challenge on Irfan and then spouting something to the referee and was rewarded with back-to-back yellow cards.
A lapse of concentration saw a free-kick from Celis hitting Kiyan, leaving Chima one-on-one with the keeper as the former East Bengal netted a third and the game ended with Chennaiyin getting all-important three points.
- Location :
Kolkata [Calcutta], India, India