ISL semi-final: Chennai breeze past Kolkata 3-0 in the first leg in Pune

9.01 pm: That's it from us here. This was a one-sided leg but at least there were goals right. We're back again on Tuesday, the 15th, where Delhi and Goa lock horns again this time at the lovely Fatorda Stadium in Goa. Goa are trailing by a 1-0 margin but can they turn it around. Tune in again and find out!

8.58 pm: Kolkata looked drab and deserved this loss. They hardly had any chances and couldn't capitalise on the few they had. Their man between the posts, Amrinder Singh, looked nervy and he was responsible for the first and second goals. It's not been a good display from Habas' men and they know they will have a massive lot to do if they want any chance of defending their title from last year.

8.56 pm: It started off a little slow and attritional, but lit up after a spectacular strike from Bruno Pelissari on the stroke of half-time. That opened the game up and Chennai were on a roll. Mendoza sparked as he usually does, combing with Jeje and it was two such amazing inter-plays that led to the two goals in the second half. It's a fantastic half, they have a great cushion for the second leg in Kolkata and will fancy themselves in the final, notwithstanding a miracle from Kolkata. It's also an amazing gift for the people of Chennai who have stood by their team thick and through this season.

8.55 pm: THAT'S IT! CHENNAI WIN 3-0! WHAT AN AMAZING VICTORY AND THAT TOO, ON NEUTRAL TERRITORY!

8.52 pm: Just a couple of minutes to go. On the sidelines, Habas is not a happy man. And can you blame him. Kolkata have been swept away. Chennai have been brilliant.

8.49 pm: Five minutes added on. Going by current form, Chennai look more likely to grab a fourth.

8.47 pm: Lekic goes down rather quickly. A Chennai player has a few words to say to his face. Lekic gets up in a flash! Words can have a strong effect no?

8.45 pm: Five minutes to go and Pelissari walks off. This match is done and dusted. Kolkata can only hope to get one back.

8.42 pm: Mendy's been the man in defence from Chennai. Made some incredibly vital blocks. As important as Mendoza and Pelissari and Jeje.

8.39 pm: Good call from Materazzi, takes Mendoza off and brings in Fikru, another former Kolkata man. But more importantly a striker. So, they still want more.

8.38 pm: Right. Ten minutes to go. Can't see a way back for Kolkata. At least not in this match. And it'd take a betting man to bet against Chennai going by Kolkata's limpid display here.

8.36 pm: Mendoza goes down. Materazzi should probably take him off. He's been fantastic so far and has done the job. No need to injure him for the next leg (and hopefully the final).

8.35 pm: SO CLOSE FOR KOLKATA! Lekic has a lot of time and space and shoots frantically TWICE and both times Mendy makes the block! Brave from the Frenchman there!

8.31 pm: Chennai keeper Edel shows how's it done. Comes out and calmly plucks a long ball from the air. Absolutely no nerves. Won't Kolkata kill to have him back. He was with the defending champions last year, funny old game this is...

8.29 pm: It was only a matter of time. If Kolkata were composed in the first half, they've been abject. Really wonder if there's any way back for them.

8.27 pm: MENDOZA SCORES AND CHENNAI HAVE A FOOT IN THE FINAL ALREADY! Neatly latches onto a pass and swings it into the back of the net. The league's highest scorer gets another one and richly deserved!

8.23 pm: Chennai are calling the shots here. Mendoza bosses in again, lays a sharp shot to the left of Amrinder. Thankfully he saves this time. He proceeds to go down clutching his hamstring. Hope it's not too serious.

8.21 pm: Here's that first half stunner from Pelissari.

8.20 pm: Credit where it's due. Great inter-play between Mendoza and Jeje. Treat to watch.

8.18 pm: It's turning out to be a horror night for Kolkata's young keeper who incidentally made his name from the Pune Academy.

8.16 pm: 2-0 FOR CHENNAI AND AMRINDER, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?! Comes out again, leaves the goal empty. Mendoza cleverly steps around, passes it to Jeje, who makes no mistake hitting it into the empty net. Pathetic keeping there.

8.14 pm: Again being a largely scrappy start to the second half. Not many clear chances being created.

8.12 pm: Amrinder comes out again to tackle an incoming Jeje and then goes out of the box to clear it. Some nervy moments there...

8.07 pm: Lekic swivels from outside the box and almost puts it in goal. Despairingly close.

8.02 pm: However Chennaiyin fans should hold on to their hats. Kolkata have come back earlier and they can again. They're a resilient bunch.

8.02 pm: Welcome back, lots of love pouring in for Bruno Pelissari as you can see, and doesn't he deserve it.

7.49 pm: Peep! Half-time. Chennai lead and deserve it. Stunning strike from Pelissari. Kolkata have defended well, but can they come back.

7.48 pm: WHAT IS AMRINDER DOING? Rushes out to meet an incoming Mendoza. Could have messed it up but again just squeaks through.

7.47 pm: Four extra minutes added.

7.45 pm: Now Kolkata have a free kick from pretty much the same position from where they conceded. Can they do it? No they can't...goes behind for a goal-kick.

7,44 pm: Chennai have largely kept Iain Hume anonymous.

7.40 pm: That was some goal. A stunner, if we ever saw one. And changes things up considerably. Will Kolkata abandon their safety-first mindset and go on the front foot? Yet again on the stroke of half-time, we see a goal.

7.38 pm: GOAL! WHAT A STRIKE FROM PELISSARI! Free kick from yards out, taken perfectly by the Brazilian with his right foot, and Amrinder was caught napping there!

7.37 pm: FIRST YELLOW OF THE NIGHT. And it goes to Chennai's Blasi for arguing with the ref. Matter of time really.

7.34 pm: Having lived in Pune for more than 3 years, I can safely say that the Balewadi Stadium is a fantastic stadium, but not in the most accessible of areas. Hence, it's heartening to see the noise and atmosphere in the stadium, considering it's not even a home game for Pune!

7.33 pm: Doutie gets brought down right on the edge of the box by Pelissari. And as the commentators point out, it's an unnecessary tackle.

7.30 pm: It's still half-time at the 30 minute mark. Chennai have attacked, Kolkata have counter-attacked. Neither team has scored.

7.27 pm: Chennai dominating possession and dominating attack but they need to make it count. They can't afford to go to Kolkata without an advantage.

7.25 pm: Pelissari swings it from a high free-kick, Amrinder also made a mess of it by dropping it, but thankfully for Kolkata fans, no harm done!

7.24 pm: Arata Izumi had a go for Kolkata which beat the keeper but also went wide of goal!

7.23 pm: Chennai have had more chances but Kolkata have been calm and composed in defence.

7.22 pm: Chennai have had more shots in this opening 20 minutes but except that first chance, they haven't really troubled the keeper.

7.19 pm: Pelissari goes for goal from some way out but the ball whizzes past the top post, just by a little bit though...

7.15 pm: Reckless foul there from Pelissari on Kolkata's Augustin Fernandes. Both of them rose but Pelissarri was never going for the ball there.

7.13 pm: Defender Dhana heads from some way out for Chennai but it goes sailing over goal.

7.10 pm: Kolkata had had a couple of dead ball chances and they've looked quite threatening so far.

7.08 pm: The opening exchanges have been more attacking than yesterday's match. Chennai have already had a chance. They could get more.

7.05 pm: The linesman adjudges a Chennai player for handball. Chennai are not happy. Free-kick in a dangerous position for the defending champions.

7.02 pm: EARLY CHANCE FOR CHENNAI! Mendy almost gets on the scoresheet But finally the Kolkata keeper Amrinder Singh saves the day.

7.00 pm: KICK-OFF! Hope the Puneites come in to cheer what should be a fantastic game!

6.57 pm: Right, will Antonio Habas, the Kolkata manager, decide to drop anchor here and go back home without conceding?

6.49 pm: Munch on this as we wait for kick-off. Chennai have committed the second-most number of fouls this season with 183 fouls in 14 matches. Just behind them is Kolkata with 180.

6.45 pm: And this is Chennai's line-up: Edel, Mendy, Alves, Dhanachandra, Khabra, Mundampara, Blasi, Thoi, Bruno, Jeje, Mendoza

6.43 pm: Lineups coming soon.

6.39 pm: Yesterday's semi-final was a tightly contested affair with Delhi running out 1-0 winners against Goa. Delhi did have plenty of chances though and should have done better. However, if the recent form of these two teams is any indication, expect to see plenty of goals in this one. The top two goal-scorers of the league will be in action!

6.36 pm: On to Kolkata now. The defending champions will quietly be the more confident side coming into this match. In the two seasons of the ISL, Chennai haven't been able to defeat them yet. Kolkata have also been the better side in the ISL so far, thanks to the exploits of their Canadian striker Iain Hume who's second on the goal-scoring charts with ten goals.

6.14 pm: But on the plus side, Chennai will take heart from the way they fought back in the group stage. At one stage, they looked dead and buried and in danger of missing out. But over a run of great form which has included four consecutive unbeaten wins, they finished third. Striker Mendoa is currently the highest goal-scorer and also has the most shots on target. Then there's Jeje Lalpekhlua, the Indian with the highest number of goals in this season.

6.13 pm: Chennai are coming into this game missing some important personnel. Their hugely influential icon player Elano misses out since he's picked up four yellow cards during the league. So does defender Mehrajuddin Wadoo. Midfield Raphael Augusto, who's been key for the Super Machans, also misses out to injury.

6.09 pm: To refresh, this should have been a home game for Chennai, but as we all know because of the disastrous floods in Chennai, the organisers decided to shift the game to Pune. Obviously, not great for Chennai but well, it really can't be helped, can it?

6.08 pm: Well, hallo, hallo, hallo! Welcome to the live-blog for the first leg of the second semi-final between Chennaiyin FC and Atletico de Kolkata at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune. This is going to be a battle between No.2 (Kolkata) and No.3 (Chennai).