Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], December 11 : Chennaiyin FC ended their three-game losing streak with a 1-0 victory over Hyderabad FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 tonight (Wednesday).
The match began with Hyderabad FC dominating possession and attempting to control the tempo in the first five minutes.
However, against the run of play, Chennaiyin FC's Lukas Brambilla intercepted the ball near the halfway line and positioned himself to execute a defence-splitting through ball. He had two options: to pass centrally to Wilmar Jordan Gil or find Irfan Yadwad operating on the inside-left channel.
Brambilla chose the latter, delivering a perfectly weighted pass to Yadwad just yards from the goal. Trusting his instincts, Yadwad unleashed a precise shot that evaded Soyal Joshy's challenge and found the centre of the net, breaking the deadlock in the fifth minute.
Hyderabad FC struggled to maintain their initial momentum but launched a series of dangerous attempts around the 25th minute. In quick succession, efforts from Andrei Alba and Alex Saji struck the woodwork, narrowly missing the equaliser.
Alba's right-footed shot from a sharp angle inside the box resulted from a poorly cleared set-piece by Chennaiyin FC's defence. Moments later, Saji, capitalising on a loose ball following a throw-in, also hit the woodwork, missing another opportunity.
The match became a cagey affair, with both sides engaged in intricate midfield build-up but failing to create clear scoring chances. In the 56th minute, Allan Paulista and Cy Goddard exploited gaps in Chennaiyin FC's defence. Paulista's effort was thwarted, and Goddard's powerful strike sailed wide. During the ensuing skirmish, Chennaiyin's Elsinho sustained an injury while defending and was replaced by Mandar Rao Dessai.
Yadwad nearly doubled his tally in the 74th minute with support from Wilmar Jordan Gil. As the pair surged forward, Wilmar deftly headed the ball into Yadwad's path. Opting for a direct attempt, Yadwad's shot swerved just wide of the left post.
Despite 10 minutes of added time, Hyderabad FC could not break through Chennaiyin's defence. The Marina Machans held on to their slender lead, securing all three points with the 1-0 victory.
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