That's all from this game. Chennaiyin FC dominated the game and they move up to seventh on the points table. Hyderabad FC remain on the bottom. On Saturday, the 11th of January, it is a vital clash as fifth-placed Odisha FC host fourth-placed Mumbai City FC. That match will start at 1930 IST. Do join us for that. Until then, cheers.
Awards
Chennaiyin FC collect the Club Award for winning the match this evening. Rafael Crivellaro is given the Limitless Player of the Match Award. He also bags the Winning Pass of the Match Award. Lallianzuala Chhangte takes home the Emerging Player of the Match Award and Nerijus Valskis is the choice for the Hero of the Match Award.
Dominance from Chennaiyin FC
A brilliant performance from Chennaiyin FC has seen them go to seventh position on the points table. After back-to-back losses, they needed some inspiration to get back to winning ways and it was provided by Nerijus Valskis and Rafael Crivellaro. They ended the first half with two goals and the second started in a positive manner for them when Nerijus Valskis scored his second of the night in the 65th minute and that killed the game off. Hyderabad FC were poor in both ends of the pitch. However, they pulled one goal back in the 87th minute but by then it was too late and it is Chennaiyin FC who take the three points with them. With this, Hyderabad FC remain winless for nine consecutive matches.
90'
Full time!
Peep, peep. The referee has blown the whistle and that marks the end of this game. It ends 3-1 in favour of Chennaiyin FC.
90'
Added time!
4 minutes have been added on as injury time.
90'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Hyderabad FC : MARCELINHO
89'
Close!!!
Almost the fourth goal for Chennaiyin FC. Dragos Firtulescu puts a through ball to Nerijus Valskis. Valskis moves inside the box and then beats the keeper. He is in front of goal and then shoots but Nikhil Poojary clears it away just in front of the goal.
87'
GOALLL!!!
Hyderabad FC get one back! Marcelo Pereira is the one who has scored for the home side. It is too late one might feel unless some miracle happens. Marko Stankovic passes it to Marcelo Pereira who is inside the box. Eli Sabia should has the chance of clearing it with his foot but he tries doing that with a header instead and misses. Marcelo Pereira eventually gets the ball and hits it home with a powerful strike.
87'
Substitution
Final change of the game! Dragos Firtulescu comes in and Rafael Crivellaro goes out.
88'
Goal
Goal - Hyderabad FC : MARCELINHO
87'
Substitution
Substitution - Chennaiyin FC (In: Firtulescu, Out: CRIVELLARO)
87'
Foul
Laldanmawia Ralte commits a foul on Jerry Lalrinzuala but he is just warned by the referee. He pushes him and Lalrinzuala is down on the floor.
83'
Wide
Marko Stankovic gets the ball just outside the box and moves inside the 18-yard box. He beats a Hyderabad FC defender and then takes a shot but it is wide of the post. Could have done better there.
80'
A chance goes abegging
Rafael Crivellaro gets inside the box after beating two of the opposition defenders and shoots but it is way wide of the post. A goal kick results.
77'
Off target
Asish Rai crosses inside the 18-yard box from the right flank towards Marcelo Pereira who takes the header but it is wide of the post.
76'
Double change
Chennaiyin FC make a double change. Germanpreet Singh goes out and Rahim Ali comes in. Masih Saighani replaces Andre Schembri as well.
75'
Substitution
Substitution - Chennaiyin FC (In: SAIGHANI, Out: SCHEMBRI)
75'
Substitution
Substitution - Chennaiyin FC (In: RAHIM, Out: GERMAN.K)
73'
Final change for Hyderabad FC!!!
The hosts make their final change of the game. They bring on Giles Barnes for Rohit Kumar.
73'
Substitution
Substitution - Hyderabad FC (In: BARNES, Out: ROHIT)
70'
Substitution
Another change made by Hyderabad FC as Nestor Jesus Benitez goes out and Laldanmawia Ralte comes in.
70'
Substitution
Substitution - Hyderabad FC (In: DANMAWIA, Out: NESTOR G)
65'
Goal!!!!
Make that 3-0. What a goal this one. A brilliant, brilliant strike from Nerijus Valskis. Second of the night for him. He combines with Rafael Crivellaro inside the box and plays a one-two with him. He then gets the ball and finds room towards his right. He takes a touch and then hits it into the bottom right corner. Hard to see Hyderabad FC making any comeback from here on.
65'
Goal
Goal - Chennaiyin FC : VALSKIS
62'
Change for the hosts
Hyderabad FC make the first change of the night. Bobo is going off and Mohammed Yasir comes on for him. A defender comes on to replace a forward when you are two goals behind. Interesting.
62'
Substitution
Substitution - Hyderabad FC (In: YASIR, Out: BOBO)
58'
Nasty foul
That's a nasty hit on the head. Adil Khan in an attempt to play the overhead shot but ends up getting Edwin Vanspaul on the head. Edwin Vanspaul looks in pain and is lying on the ground. Foul given.
54'
Over the post
Marcelo Pereira gets the ball on the left flank and then starts running ahead with it. He is close to the box when he shoots but it is over the crossbar.
51'
Yellow card
The second one of the game. Germanpreet Singh again commits a foul and this time, the referee shows the yellow card. He slides in an attempt to steal the ball but instead trips Marcelo Pereira.
51'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Chennaiyin FC : GERMAN.K
48'
Good defending
Marcelo Pereira gets the ball in the center. He runs with it and then passes it for Nestor Jesus Benitez. Nestor tries to make a space from him but there is nothing in front of him. He then backtracks the ball towards Pereira who takes a touch and then looks to shoot the ball in but it hits Adil Khan and goes out of danger.
46'
Second half begins!
The second half is set to get underway. This time Hyderabad FC will kick off. They will be attacking from left to right in this half.
Chennaiyin FC with the lead!!!
What an end we have had to the first half!!! The first 40 minutes was a sedate one with many clear cut chances being created. Both sides were trying to get into the box and shoot but were unable to convert. The defending was top notch as well but just before half time, the Hyderabad FC defenders lost their concentration and conceded two goals within three minutes. Rafael Crivellaro was the first one to score after he won the ball when Ashish Rai's poor attempt of passing the ball behind went wrong. Nerijus Valskis then put in a terrific one to take the visitors 2-0 up in the game. The hosts will have a task in front of them when they come back for the second half. Will they be able to make a comeback or will Chennaiyin FC run away with the game? Join us in a while.
45'
Half time!!!
The referee has blown the whistle for half time and it is 2-0 at the break.
45'
Added time!
The referee has added 1 minute into added time.
43'
GOALLLL!!!!
Here comes the second one, within 3 minutes. A brilliant, brilliant goal from Nerijus Valskis. Andre Schembri gets the ball on the right. He takes the ball forward and tucks it to his left for Nerijus Valskis. Nerijus takes a touch to beat the defender and make some space for him. He does that and then shoots the ball in with his right foot. Kamaljit Singh dives to his left but cannot make the stop this time around.
43'
Goal
Goal - Chennaiyin FC : VALSKIS
40'
GOALLL!!!
1-0 up and it is Rafael Crivellaro who gives the Super Machans the lead. Poor pass. Asish Rai tries to back pass it to Kamaljit Singh but Nerijus Valskis intercepts it and then passes it to Rafael Crivellaro. The keeper moves out of his mark but Crivellaro moves past him and then takes the shot. It hits the hand of Kamaljit Singh and rolls into the back of the net.
40'
Goal
Goal - Chennaiyin FC : CRIVELLARO
35'
10 minutes remaining!!!
The first half is coming to an end and only 10 minutes are remaining. It is still 0-0 and both teams struggling to create a clear-cut chance. Can we see a goal before half-time.
29'
Nice attempt!
Almost a goal! Andre Schembri in the box tries to pass it to Lallianzuala Chhangte but Chhangte misses. Rafael Crivellaro gets to the ball quickly and then beats the defender. Crivellaro shoots from inside the 18-yard box. It is a powerful shot but Kamaljit Singh does well to clear it away for a corner.
27'
Foul
Germanpreet Singh gets involved in another foul! This time, he pokes his finger in Marcelo Pereira's eye. No card shown by the referee though.
23'
Excellent save
Andre Schembri tries to put in a pass to fellow teammate but it lands to Marko Stankovic near the edge of the box. Stankovic shoots but Vishal Kaith dives to his left and makes a good save.
19'
Just wide!!!
Nikhil Poojary puts in a terrific run from the left flank and then crosses it to Nestor Jesus Benitez just at the edge of the box. Nestor shoots but it goes just wide of the post.
17'
Yellow card
Marko Stankovic pushes Rafael Crivellaro to the ground in an attempt to steal the ball and the referee does not like it, making him to blow the whistle. The referee books him.
17'
Yellow Card
Yellow Card - Hyderabad FC : MARKO
15'
Good defending!!!
Nerijus Valskis from inside the box passes it to Rafael Crivellaro. Crivellaro does not get space to shoot and one of the opposition defenders clears the ball away.
11'
Foul
Germanpreet Singh gets a warning from the referee as he tries to tackle Marcelo Pereira with a slide but he commits a foul instead. The referee does not like it and gives him a warning.
10'
10 minutes up
10 minutes have finished into the game and both these sides are trying to get into the attacking areas. No clear cut chances created though.
5'
Well saved
That is excellent goalkeeping from Kamaljit Singh. Anirudh Thapa puts an excellent through ball to Andre Schembri. Schembri then runs forward and sees the goalkeeper out of his mark. He tries to play a chip shot but Kamaljit does extremely well to save that with both of his hands.
3'
Corner early on in the game!!!
Nestor Jesus Benitez passes it to Bobo in the right flank. He then tries to beat the Chennaiyin FC defender. He crosses but hits the leg of the defender and goes out for a corner. Nothing results from the corner though.
1'
Kick off
Chennaiyin FC get us underway. They will be attacking from left to right in this half.
Toss
Hyderabad FC have won the toss and they choose to attack from right to left.
National Anthem
Both teams come out of the tunnel and are standing in respect of the Indian National Anthem.
Chennaiyin FC (Playing XI)
Vishal Kaith (GK), Lucian Goian (C), Jerry Lalrinzuala, Eli Sabia, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Edwin Vanspaul, Anirudh Thapa, Germanpreet Singh, Rafael Crivellaro, Nerijus Valskis, Andre Schembri.
Hyderabad FC (Playing XI)
Kamaljit Singh (GK), Matthew Kilgallon, Gurtej Singh, Asish Rai, Adil Khan, Nestor Jesus Benitez, Marko Stankovic, Rohit Kumar, Nikhil Poojary, Bobo, Marcelo Pereira (C).
Battle of the bottom dwellers!!!
Match no.56 sees Hyderabad FC play Chennaiyin FC at the G.M.C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium. The team from Hyderabad have had a horrid tournament and are winless since their last 8 matches. In their last match, they were humbled by the Kerala Blasters 5-1 and now they need to get many wins under their belt to have any chance of entering the top four. It seems unlikely but not impossible. They are plaqued with injuries and their main attacker Rafael Lopez has still not recovered from his injury and will remain to be on the sidelines. Their defense was found out the last time against Kerala and they need to step up. The midfield has been inconsistent and they would hope for some inconsistency in their attack. Chennaiyin FC's campaign has been no different. They lie 8th on the points table and have lost back-to-back games now. They were defeated comprehensively by Odisha FC in their previous game and would want to get back to winning ways, just like Hyderabad FC. The two-time champions will be confident though as they have beaten the newcomers already once in this year's ISL. Their defending has not been great and have conceded 6 goals in their last 2 matches. Nerijus Valskis has been the highest goal scorer for the Super Machans and his team would hope that he continues to score in this game as well. Will Hyderabad FC get their first win after 8 matches or will the Marina Machans move up one position up the ladder?