ISL: Chennaiyin, Odisha play out a draw

Centre-backs Elsinho and Carlos Delgado showed the attackers how to get on the scoresheet as Chennaiyin FC and Odisha FC shared the spoils in the Indian Super League contest at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

Elsinho and Delgado, picked in the team primarily for their defensive prowess, scored off set-pieces for Chennaiyin and Odisha respectively in the 1-1 stalemate. While CFC opened its account on its third attempt, OFC played out its second successive draw.

Chennaiyin was lucky not to be reduced to 10 men in the 26th minute, when Laldinliana Renthlei, being the last man, brought down Rahim Ali during an Odisha counterattack. The right-back escaped a send-off after the referee perhaps took into consideration where the foul was committed (close to the halfway line).

The deadlock was broken by Elsinho’s pin-point header on the stroke of half-time. Farukh Choudhary delivered a sumptuous corner-kick to pick out the Brazilian, who rose the highest to bag his first goal in Indian football. The piece of Samba magic also enabled Chennaiyin unlock a few firsts — it was the club’s maiden goal of the ISL season and the first by an outfield player under head coach Clifford Miranda.

Odisha showed urgency at the start of the second period and went on to level the score through Delgado (68th). The Spanish central defender matched Elsinho’s effort, beating his marker Pritam Kotal and heading in a precise cross from Puitea off a free-kick.

Inigo Martin and substitute Imran Khan had golden opportunities to restore the lead for CFC, but both missed from close range. In the end, the teams shook hands with a point each.

The result: Odisha FC 1 (Carlos Delgado 68) drew with Chennaiyin FC 1 (Elsinho 45+2).