Chennaiyin thrashes TRAU for its first win
The Hindu
Blasters makes it to the quarterfinals; Jamshedpur signs off on a high
Petar Sliskovic struck a brace as Chennaiyin FC (CFC) outplayed a 10-man TRAU 4-1 in a Group C match to earn its first win in the Durand Cup football tournament at the Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal on Thursday.
The towering Croatian forward Sliskovic scored in the first minute, one of the fastest goals in the tournament, to give Chennaiyin an early advantage.
Chennaiyin’s frontline kept pushing and earned a penalty in the 19th minute. Kwame Karikari unleashed a low powerful shot to make it 2-0.
TRAU put up a spirited effort before it was reduced to 10 men following a red card to forward Salam Johnson Singh in the 36th minute.
Still, it won a penalty in the dying minutes of the first half and skipper TRAU captain Komron Tursunov slotted home a beauty to make it 2-1.
Chennaiyin virtually took the match away from the host as Vafa Hakhamaneshi headed in the third goal (51st minute) and Sliskovic scored through a superb header from a long pass into the box from the left within four minutes.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, Kerala Blasters recorded a fine 2-0 win over Army Green in a Group D encounter to make it to the quarterfinals.