Goa: Who would have thought that the final match of the Indian Super League season II will be filled with such high intensity, extreme drama and last minute twists? Well all this happened at the Fatodra Stadium in Goa where Chennaiyin FC became the new kings of ISL by defeating FC Goa 3-2 in a high octane clash.
After the first-half went goalless, the second half of the match witnessed some intense actions. In the 54th minute of the match, Chennaiyin striker Steven Mendoza was fouled by FC Goa defender Pranoy Halder just near the edge of the penalty box. Japanese referee Yudi Yamamoto did not hesitate to award Chennaiyin a penalty. Bruno Pellisari took the penalty but his effort was brilliantly saved by Goa custodian Laxmilanth Kattimani by diving towards his left but Pellisari managed to score through a lucky rebound. Just four minutes later, FC Goa's Shamboi Thaokip, who came in substitute in place of Leo Moura, levelled for his team through a stunning Romeo Fernandes cross and sent a sigh of relief through the stadium.
Destiny turned Chennaiyin's favour in the 63rd minute once again as Kattimani committed a mistimed foul on Mendoza, in the same region and exact same manner like the previous one done by Halder which earned Chennaiyin the second penalty of the night. Mendoza came to take it but Kattimani once again dived valiantly on his left to thwart Mendoza from scoring. As the match was proceeding towards the completion of the regulation time, FC Goa earned a free-kick just outside the opposition's penalty box. Spaniard Jofre took the kick, curled it beautifully through the human wall and deceived keeper Edel Bete and gave Goa a valuable lead of 2-1 in the 87th minute of the match.
Almost everyone in the Fatodra stadium started celebrating for an early Christmas after Jofre's goal but the match was just not over. In the 90th minute of the match came a cross from Elano aiming the FC Goa's goal. Kattimani came outside his place to punch it away but unfortunately collided with his own team's defender, in the process casting an own goal which kept Chennaiyin alive in the match with a scoreline of 2-2.
The final twist came in the dying minutes of the match when Jayesh Rane's long ball found Mendoza again in the opposition box. Mendoza tactically deflected the two Goan defenders Lucio and Gregory and beautifully pushed the ball through the right side of the net, beyond Kattimani's reach to ensure that Chennaiyin FC became the new champions of this edition of the ISL.
It was no doubt that the final match was the most thrilling encounter of the entire competition with Chennaiyin dominating the match from the start. A large factor which went against Zico's boys was Dudu Omagbemi's early injury in just the 5th minute which forced the Nigerian to be substituted.
Then in the second half, to restore balance in the side, coach Zico had to replace their main asset Leo Moura with Thaokip. Both sides did get chances to score goals but this match will always be remembered as tale of five minutes which saw three goals being scored and Chennaiyin walking away with the ISL trophy, crashing hopes of the 18,500 Goan supporters at Fatodra.
