The win was vital for Chennaiyin, who had only six points from five matches before the Pune meeting
The team that won the inaugural Indian Super League and the team that should have won it will usher in the second season at the Nehru Stadium here on Saturday.
Chennai: The three superstars of Chennaiyin FC — Bernard Mendy, Elano and Stiven Mendoza — combined to give the home team a 2-1 win over FC Pune City in the ISL here on Saturday.
Mendy put Chennaiyin ahead by the half-hour mark before Mendoza, set up by Elano, doubled the lead right after the break. Nigerian substitute Kalu Uche pulled one back from close range in the 75th minute but Chennaiyin held on for a crucial win.
The win was vital for Chennaiyin, who had only six points from five matches before the Pune meeting. Chennai coach Marco Materazzi’s intent was clear when he fielded a full-strength team. He brought in Karanjit Singh in goal for Edel Bete to give a starting slot for a foreigner, Italian Manuele Blasi, in the place of the suspended defensive midfielder, Harmanjot Khabra.
Chennaiyin stepped on the pedal right away and they couldn’t take the lead mainly because of the brilliance of Pune goalkeeper, Steven Simonsen. The Englishman stood like a rock to deny Elano and Mendoza with superb saves. The block he made to stop Mendoza’s angled shot was stupendous.
The hosts broke the deadlock in the 34th minute when Dhanachandra Singh sent a long throw-in from the left. Mendy brushed aside a Pune defender to head the ball in at the far post beyond Simonsen’s reach and the 26,000- strong crowd went wild with joy. The only chance Pune got
Pune appeared to have recharged their batteries during half-time. Former Turkish international Tuncay Sanil had a shot on goal, but he lacked the precision to hit the back of the net. Mendoza made it 2-0 soon when he latched on to a through ball from Elano.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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