Bengaluru: Chennaiyin FC stunned the favourites Bengaluru FC in the final of the Indian Super League on Saturday to emerge as champions for the second time with a 3-2 win at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium.
The visitors had to come from behind after Sunil Chhetri gave BFC the early lead but a brace from Mailson Alves in the first half and a fantastic curling finish from Raphael Augusto meant Chennai were comfortable for most of the game. A late goal from Nicolas Ladislao Fedor (Miku) gave the home side a glimmer of hope but the 90th minute strike was too little, too late.
The game could not have begun better for Bengaluru FC, with Miku combining well speedy winger Kumam Udanta Singh down the right, who fed Chhetri with a cross that the captain headed home and brough the roof down at The Fortress.
But, in all honesty, Chennaiyin FC did not look back from the moment they scored the first goal through a thumping header from Alves in the 17th minute as he rose highest to meet a cross from Gregory Nelson. It was the same pair who combined once again at the stroke of half time to put the visitors ahead when the players headed for the break. The away fans were the loudest when the teams took the break.
BFC started the second half on front foot, forcing a series of corners, but none of them tested Karanjit Singh in goal – who was considerably the less busier of the two custodians on the night. The visitors did not settle for a one-goal lead however and kept pouring forward at every possible chance. In fact, Gurpreet Singh had to make the toughest saves on the night, and he kept it 2-1 by parrying out a good effort from Gregory.
But CFC would soon have their third goal and it was a beautiful curling finish from the Brazilian Augusto. Gregory released Jeje Lalpekhlua who was through on goal but his touch deserted him. He hung on to the ball, however, and set up Augusto outside the box who finished with aplomb past a diving Gurpreet.
From then on, it was a case of Chennai holding on to the two-goal advantage and it was until the last 10 minutes the away goal came under threat. Karanjit made a good save and John Johnson headed wide, going into the last minutes but the miss of the night came from Chhetri himself who inexplicably shot over the goal with the goalkeeper not in any position save from a cutback by Miku. It was a hands-in-the-face moment for the BFC captain, who hit the side-netting soon after.
The prolific Miku did put one in the back of the net moments after a penalty call against substitute Nishu Kumar was denied by the referees – who came in for plenty of criticism from the home fans. With four-minutes of added time, the 2015 champions ran down the clock to emerge deserving winners at the final whistle.
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