Half Time Report: Chennaiyin dominate at home, take 2-0 lead over indisciplined Blasters

Starting Line-Ups:

Chennaiyin FC - Apoula Edel, Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Bernanrd Mendy, Alessandro Potenza, Dhanachandra Singh, Thoi Singh, Raphael Augusto, Harmanjot Khabra, Bruno Pelissari, Stiven Mendoza, Jeje Lalpekhlua

Kerala Blasters FC - Stephen Bywater, Peter Ramage, Sandesh Jhingan, Saumik Dey, Rahul Bheke, Mehtab Hossain, Josue Currais, Pulga, Cavin Lobo, Antonio German

GOALS FROM Dhanachandra Singh and Stiven Mendoza saw Chennaiyin FC take a 2-0 lead in the first half as the bottom table side dominated visitors Kerala Blasters for most of the period.

While the visitors decided to stick to the same starting line-up that trumped NorthEast United at their own backyard, Chennaiyin FC made 5 changes aiming for a comeback from the loss in Kolkata. Materazzi went back to Edel at goal and Stiven Mendoza up front, also bringing Bruno, Bernard Mendy and Jeje Lalpekhlua back into the side.

The visitors created a dangerous moment early on when Antonio German hit the post in the very first minute. But from then on it was all Chennai as in the 3rd minute the home team opened the scoring. It started with a cross from Thoi Singh that Rahul Bheke headed away, but the ball went to Dhanachandra Singh who was standing outside the penalty box. He returned the ball with a left footed volley that picked its way through the jungle of defenders and the Kerala keeper through a very narrow angle and found the net. The Kerala defence was taken aback, and Chennai were in the lead.

Soon another cross created trouble for Kerala. Bruno sent the ball in, but 3 Vhennai players who were present inside the box failed to get a shot on it. The chance went begging.

Raphael Augusto made another charge for Chennai when he ran into the box and let fly but his shot went above the crossbar.

But Stiven Mendoza added to his goal tally to gain one over Sunil Chhetri when he received a long ball from Dhanachandra Singh, skillfully turned to fool his marker and drove the ball home. 15 minutes in, Chennai were leading 2-0.

As Kerala became conscious of defence not to concede any further, Chennai were happy to keep danger at bay. But after a while of toned-down contest the fiestiness returned to the game. 

Chennai were the one with the more fuild movements as Kerala players often gave the ball away too cheaply. They got a chance when a long ball reached Pulga inside the Chennai box but Mendy was immediately on his case and pressured him into taking a hurried shot that went wide.

A good exchange between Jeje and Stiven saw them cover a lot of ground that and eventually gain a corner. The corner kick provided a Raphael with a chance to head home but he missed the target.

Jeje got a chance again, this time fed by Bruno Pelissari, but Rahul Bheke managed to block his shot.

Then things got a bit ugly as after Stiven Mendoza went down on the ground after a chellenge, Mehtab Hossain jumped on his calf, with his large studs and everything, deliberately causing him a lot of pain. The East Bengal midfielder should have been sent off for what was borderline violent conduct in a dead ball situation but the referee chose to show him a yellow instead. 

But nonetheless, as the first half ended, Chennaiyin FC had a strong 2-0 lead that they looked more than capable of defending for the rest of the game.