Chennaiyin maintains unbeaten home record
Elano nets a late penalty after Luis Garcia had put Atletico de Kolkata ahead
It was a match in which both Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) and Chennaiyin FC went for caution and, rightly, the game suffered for it. It was only apt that it ended 1-1, with both goals coming from the spot. Both teams also finished with 10 men.
Chennai started with a 4-3-1-2 formation with Harmanjot Khabra and Denson Devadas on either side of Marco Materazzi protecting the back four. Atletico de Kolkata lined up in 4-2-3-1 with Borja Fernandez and Ofentse Nato sitting back and performing the duties of defensive midfielders.
Much of the play was in the centre of the pitch. But with both sets of players sticking to each other, neither side had much time on the ball. ATK’s only bit of creative play came right at the start when Luis Garcia split the Chennai defence and Joffre Mateu slid the ball across the goal-line from the left.
However, no striker was in sight to tap it in. The visitors, defended in banks of four throughout. This allowed Chennai practically no chance for playing long balls. After initially attempting to despatch a couple, the idea was shunned.
Chennai, after finding it tough to break through the middle, stretched the play a bit. It was then that two chances arrived.
Gouramangi Singh first, and then Khabra put impressive crosses from the right flank. The ATK defence, however, held together. Soon, even that channel was closed down with wide midfielder Joffre dropping back.
Sending off
Then, ATK was handed a massive advantage on 33 minutes, when Chennai goalkeeper Shilton Paul was sent off for bringing down Mohammed Rafi.
The latter was through on goal and had looped the ball above Shilton before being fouled. Garcia slotted the ensuing penalty into the bottom right corner. Chennai, predictably, sacrificed debutant striker Jean Maurice to keep its defensive shape and brought in Gennaro Bracigliano to man the goalmouth.
But immediately after the break, it was even-stevens with Joffre getting a second yellow for simulation, while attempting to beat Bracigliano. As a result, ATK, with a goal up, dropped further back, with the defensive duo of Fernandez and Nato playing their roles to perfection.
Defender Bernard Mendy charged into the midfield on occasions, only for the opposition defenders to close him down. Towards the end, Chennai threw more men behind the ball by bringing in the forwards Balwant Singh and Jeje Lalpekhlua.
With the game drawing to a close, ATK seemed to have earned a crucial away win until John Stiven Mendoza was brought down by Kinshuk Debnath in injury time.
Elano, who didn’t have much luck with a slew of free-kicks early on, scored to maintain Chennai’s unbeaten home record.
The result: Chennaiyin FC 1 (Elano 90-pen) drew with Atletico de Kolkata 1 (Garcia 35-pen).
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