Chennaiyin FC’s Mehrajuddin Wadoo (left) in action against FC Goa during their ISL-3match in Chennai on Thursday. The hosts won 2-0. (Photo: E.K. Sanjay)
The wait, at long last, has ended. Into their third match and 12 days since the third season of the ISL began, holders Chennaiyin had a taste of victory when they beat FC Goa 2-0 on Thursday.
‘Beat’ would be doing injustice to their virtuoso performance as at the colosseum that was the Nehru Stadium, the gladiators of Chennaiyin slayed the pretenders to their throne, without so much as an ounce of remorse. Expectant fans of the home team, who were waiting with bated breath for their side’s first win couldn’t complain with the fare dished out.
Chennaiyin coach Marco Materazzi didn’t deviate from the subtle warning he issued on match eve, that there would be no room for any sentimentality in his squad selection. And hence it didn’t come as a surprise to see him drop first-choice captain and crowd favourite, Bernard Mendy and non-performing left-back Nallapan Mohanraj.
The enforced shake-up of the defence saw Mehrajuddin Wadoo receiving the skipper’s arm-band. Wadoo is the first Indian to have the honour of leading Chennaiyin and judging by his and the team’s performance, it is likely to adorn his left arm for quite some time.
Chennaiyin’s first goal saw its origins in a majestic through ball from Brazilian midfielder Raphael Augusto and it saw its denouement in an equally brilliant finish by midfielder Hans Mulder’s who placed it past a diving Laxmikanth Kattimani in the 15th minute.
The second followed 10 minutes later when Wadoo unleashed a powerful strike that took a deflection off Goa centre-back Rafael Dumas and caught Kattimani unawares.
Goan forwards Rafael Coelho and Reinaldo Oliveira, expended considerable energy and effort in pursuit of a goal that never arrived.
The revamped Chennaiyin back-line was resolute and resilient in snuffing out any threat.
Until this latest clash, the Nehru Stadium was a fortress for the Goan team with both their matches ending in wins, but that has been relegated to the history books with a third consecutive loss this season.
