ISL 2021-22 | Hyderabad FC and Chennaiyin FC play 1-1 draw
A file picture of Hyderabad FC.
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Chennaiyin FC and Hyderabad FC played out a 1-1 draw in the ISL at the PJN Stadium in Margao, Goa on Thursday. Mohammad Sajid Dhot handed Chennaiyin the lead in the 13th minute but Javier Siverio brought Hyderabad back into the game just a few seconds before the half-time whistle.
Despite taking the lead in the 13th minute, Chennaiyin FC was to an extent outplayed by its opponents as Hyderbad FC looked the more impressive side on the park. The former champions were fortunate to walk away with a point.
Hyderabad FC carved out the first opening of the match and should have taken the lead in the 10th minute when Siverio had a chance inside the box, but he fired the shot straight at Chennaiyin FC goalkeeper Debjit Majumder.
The early miss proved to be a costly one as Chennainyin FC took charge of the match and opened the scoring in the 13th minute when Dhot sent a clever header from an Anirudh Thapa free-kick on the right side past Laxmikant Kattimani and made it 1-0.
Hyderabad FC then had a chance to equalize in the 22nd minute, when Edu Garcia's free-kick was met by Siverio. However, the header could only find the side netting. Manuel Marquez's side kept on testing the Marina Machan's defense but failed to find an opening inside the ten-yard area.
Just a minute before the water break, Thapa missed a chance to double the lead for Chennaiyin FC as he curled one in towards the far post but Kattimani saved it. In the 39th minute Aniket Jadhav, the Hyderabad FC forward was the first player to get booked in the match.
Hyderabad FC kept knocking on the door, and it was a matter of time before they found an equaliser. Hyderabad FC was all over the Chennai defense, and in the 39th minute Siverio again tried his luck from a far distance but Majumder made a good save.
The equaliser for Hyderabad FC came in right before the half-time whistle when Asish Rai curled a wonderful ball in the box for the Spanish striker Siverio and he headed it to the top right corner. Before this goal, the 24-year-old striker had scored all his goals as a substitute. Both teams went into half-time tied at 1-1.
Hyderabad FC was unlucky not to take the lead in the 49th minute when Jadhav tried to shoot from the edge of the box but the shot lacked the power allowing Majumder to make a comfortable save.
In the 63rd minute of the match, both teams made double substitutions. For Chennaiyin FC, Nerijus Valskis made way for Rahim Ali and Lukasz Gikiewicz was substituted in for Mirlan Murzaev. On the other hand, Hyderabad FC brought in Sahil Tavora in place of Souvik Chakrabarti, and Nikhil Poojary got replaced by Mohammad Yasir.
HFC forward Jadhav displayed his skills in the 66th minute when he whipped a nice low cross, but Jerry Lalrinzuala guided it away for a corner. Hyderabad FC had a chance to snatch victory in the 83rd minute when Siverio got into a scoring position inside the box and took a shot with his right foot, but it went over the goal. There were hardly any opportunities thereafter as both teams had to share the spoils.
The point takes Hyderabad FC to the third spot on the table. Chennaiyin FC, on the other hand, remains in sixth place. Marquez’s men return to action on Monday when they take on Jamshedpur FC. While Chennaiyin FC's upcoming assignment is against Northeast United FC on next Saturday.
