Chennai: Gregory Nelson’s 83rd minute strike was the difference as Chennaiyin FC edged past Pune City 1-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday.
The Dutch attacker’s calm finish after substitute Raphael Augusto had played into him with a clever dummy, not only ended Pune’s unscathed away run this season but also ensured the ‘Stallions’ despite all their heroics remain winless against Chennaiyin FC in eight meetings, across all four seasons.
Courtesy the win, Chennaiyin also jumped to top of the table with 20 points from 10 matches, just two ahead of the second-placed Bengaluru FC who play Delhi Dynamos the next day. Pune meanwhile remained third but just two above fifth placed Mumbai, having played a match more.
The game could have however ended sooner, had both the sides been more clinical in-front of goal. While Diego Carlos in-place of the suspended Marcinho missed glaring chances, René Mihelic took the baton a step forward by failing to score from a penalty kick. An Adil Khan shove on Nelson in the 23rd minute earned the hosts an early opportunity to score, as the referee although harshly pointed to the spot.
But Mihelic’s tame shot was easily saved by Vishal Keith who dived the right. It was the visitors however who had started the evening better.
Given the way Pune played, not for once did it seem that the absence of Ranko Popovic and Marcinho affected the team. Former NorthEast striker Alfaro seemed to have taken it upon itself creating numerous chances, but lack of proper finishing touches meant Pune failed to score. They could have gone ahead thrice in the opening 15 minutes- Should they have shown better finishing.
Carlos once again came close in the 24th minute, but rattled the bar with his volley after Jonatan Lucca’s long ball had set him clear on the left wing. It seemed a game for Pune till then, until Chennaiyin was gifted a penalty after Adil Kahn’s shoulders tab on Nelson.
But Mihelic’s miss 25 minutes into the match stood as an example of the erratic finish the Slovenian endured, eventually replaced by Raphael Augusto, whose pass for Gregory ensured all three points for the ‘Marina Machans’.
Pune though had the better opportunities, with Diego Carlos guilty of squandering some easy chances, with the best one coming in the 80th minute when Jerry Lalrinzuala’s pass for the former was a simple tap-in, but the Brazilian failed to beat Karanjit once again, that summed up Pune’s story of the night.