CHANDIGARH/KOLKATA: Spanish goalkeeper Santana produced a superb penalty save in the injury time as Chennai City FC played out a goalless draw against hosts Minerva Punjab FC on Sunday to remain unbeaten in the Hero I-League here.
The result takes Chennai to 18 points from eight games, thus restoring a four-point gap at the top of the league table, while Minerva stay at fifth with 12 points from the same number of completed games. The match did not rise to any great heights though Chennai were the more dominant side particularly in the second half.
Minerva, despite bolstering their attack with the return of the Japanese striker Yu Kuboki, who incidentally missed the penalty, also played out their second goalless draw of the season. Besides Yu Kuboki, Bhaskar Roy also regained his position under the Minerva bar with Arshdeep who started in the last game getting back on the bench. For Chennai, Mashoor Shareif started in midfield in place of Pravitto Raju, who had started the last game. Minerva had the first clear chance of the game within first 10 minutes when a Lancine Toure header went wide off a well thought out set-piece.
A few minutes later, William Opoku cut in past two defenders and unleashed a right-footer bringing out a save from Chennai’s Spanish goalie Santana. Chennai’s best effort of the first half hour was a Pedro Manzi strike from outside the box which was safely collected by Bhaskar Roy. In other game, East Bengal returned to winning ways by edging past bitter foes Mohun Bagan 3-2 in a thrilling I-League derby on Sunday.
Mohun Bagan came into the tie unbeaten in the last seven derby matches and took the lead through Azharuddin Mallick in the 13th minute but things turned sour after the break when they were reduced to 10 players after Kingsley Eze was red-carded (59th).
East Bengal snatched the lead with Landanmawia Ralte (17th, 61st) and Jobby Justin (44th) helping the ‘home team’ put it across their traditional rivals and make it two wins out of two. Mohun Bagan pulled one back through Dipanda Dicka (75th) but it proved to be a consolation strike in the end.
East Bengal, who had beaten Gokulam Kerala FC 3-1 in their previous tie here after a string of three defeats, moved to fifth spot in the points table with 12 points from seven games. Mohun Bagan, meanwhile, remained eighth having nine points from seven outings and have now failed to win in their last three matches. East Bengal were the brighter of the two teams in the opening exchanges but to the home supporters’ dismay, Mohun Bagan nosed ahead. Egyptian midfielder Omar Elhussieny dribbled past East Bengal’s Lalram Chullova after a sharp turn on the left wing to cross for Azharuddin Mallick who had to tap in with the goalkeeper at his mercy. Within the space of four minutes, the red and golds returned the favour with Justin teeing up Landanmawia inside the box and the latter slotting home from close. (PTI)
