ISL 2016 | Ghosh scores late to dampen Chennai’s semis hopes

Dudu opened the scoring in the 34thminute before Nicolas Velez equalised four minutes later. Another goal by the Nigerian made it 2-1 at the break but Velez levelled again six minutes after the restart. Dudu completed his hat-trick nine minutes from full-time but Shouvik Ghosh headed a late goal of Velez’s corner kick in the injury-time to share the spoils.

Chennaiyin went close to breaking the deadlock in the sixth minute when Davide Succi sent a shot fizzing wide of the target and the despairing arms of Subrata Paul. John Arne Riise also went close for the hosts seven minutes later when a thunderous deflected free-kick was tipped over the crossbar by Paul in goal.

Emiliano Alfaro was then played in on goal shortly after with an incisive pass from Velez. The Uruguayan striker managed to get his shot on target but Karanjit got down low to his left quickly to deny the visitors again.

The Highlanders were beginning to grow into the game but were set back in the 34th minute when Mehrajuddin Wadoo produced a quality cross from the right on the overlap. Dudu lost his marker, Didier Zokora at the near post, to head Wadoo’s cross into the back of the net and make it 1-0 to Chennai.

Succi had a header on goal for the Chennai two minutes later but Paul saved comfortably. The NorthEast custodian had no chance in stoppage-time at the end of the first half, however, when a low cross by Jerry Lalrinzuala from the left was expertly converted with an angled left-footed finish by Dudu at the near post to make it 2-1 for Chennai at half-time.

The visitors got back on level terms again six minutes into the second period when a half-clearance found its way to Velez on the edge of the box. Velez hit the ball first-time and beat Karanjit in goal to make it 2-2 and silence the home support.

Things went further south for the Highlanders four minutes later when Dudu completed his hat-trick to become the only player to score a hat-trick for two different teams. A low cross from the right by substitute Bernard Mendy was somehow bundled into goal by the Nigerian at the near post again, making it 3-2 with a little under 10 minutes of normal time remaining.