Chennaiyn FC’s seventh game without a win meant they can not really risk losing points in their last four games if they want to reach the knockouts.
Odisha FC drew 2-2 with Chennaiyin FC on Thursday at Jawaharlal Nehru Indore Stadium to reclaim sixth position in the Indian Super League league.
Odisha (22 points) is presently one point ahead of Bengaluru FC, while Chennaiyin FC is five points down in eighth place.
Chennaiyin FC started the game on the front foot, pressing Odisha FC hard. They finally found space down the right when Anirudh Thapa found Vincy Barretto’s diving header in the 19th minute, after a period of small threats.
Amrinder Singh, on the other hand, produced the first of three great stops in the game, reaching to his left to tip it wide.
Odisha FC broke the deadlock in what turned out to be a spirited first half.
In the 24th minute, a miskicked long pass from the defense was intercepted by Odisha FC’s high line, who found Diego Mauricio in the box with two touches thanks to Isak Ralte’s through ball. On the run, the striker’s thunderous left foot found the back of the net.
Thapa, on the other hand, was on hand to provide an equalizer the very next minute. Odisha FC was caught off guard, allowing Thapa to rush in between the defenders as Aakash Sangwan found him on the left flank with an inch-perfect cross that was headed in from close range.
Both Peter Sliskovic and Abdenasser El Khayati tried to score in the dying minutes of the first half, with the latter stopped by Amrinder on a long shot.
However, Odisha FC took the lead again minutes into the second half. This time, it was the Chennaiyin FC defense that was unprepared for a rush into the box.
As Isak sneaked into the six-yard box to tuck the ball into the net, Nandhakumar Sekar was given time on the right wing to throw in a low cross.
From there, Chennaiyin FC regained control of the game. El Khayati scored another equalizer in the 56th minute. Barreto’s move down the left appeared to finish in a poor cross, but the ball rebounded into the path of El Khayati, who took a smooth touch before firing past Amrinder.
In the 67th minute, Amrinder threw his body on the line to deny replacement Kwame Karikari from close range, and El Khayati almost scored a goal-of-the-season candidate when he curled a long-range drive with a slight backlift only to hit the post. That was their final significant chance to win the game.
On February 7, they will face Kerala Blasters, while Odisha FC will return home to face FC Goa on February 6.
Goals:- 2-2
Chennaiyin FC Odisha FC
A. Thapa 25′, A. El Khayati 57′ D. Maurício 24′, I. Vanlalruatfela 47′
No one was injured in this match.