Ghosh’s late goal dampens Chennai’s semi-final hopes

Chennaiyin FC played out a dramatic 3-3 draw in Hero Indian Super League 2016 with NorthEast United FC in front of more than 25,000 spectators at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Saturday.

Dudu opened the scoring in the 34thminute before Nicolas Velez equalised four minutes later. Another goal by the Nigerian made it 2-1 at the break but Velez levelled again six minutes after the restart. Dudu completed his hat-trick nine minutes from full-time but Shouvik Ghosh headed a late goal in injury-time to share the spoils.

In the 34th minute, Mehrajuddin Wadoo produced a quality cross from the right on the overlap and Dudu lost his marker, Didier Zokora at the near post, to head Wadoo’s cross into the back of the net and make it 1-0 to Chennai.

NorthEast weren’t behind for too long though thanks to some individual brilliance by Velez. The Argentine picked up the ball a few yards from the penalty area in the 38th minute before running at Chennai’s defence and finishing with aplomb past a helpless Karanjit to restore parity.

In the stoppage time of the first half, a low cross by Jerry Lalrinzuala from the left was expertly converted with an angled left-footed finish by Dudu at the near post to make it 2-1 for Chennai at half-time.

The visitors got back on level terms again six minutes into the second period when a half-clearance found its way to Velez on the edge of the box. Velez hit the ball first-time and beat Karanjit in goal to make it 2-2 and silence the home support.

In the 80th minute, Dudu completed his hat-trick to become the only player to score a hat-trick for two different teams. A low cross from the right by substitute Bernard Mendy was somehow bundled into goal by the Nigerian at the near post again, making it 3-2.

In the dying moments, Velez’s corner set up Ghosh, who powered his header past Karanjit and made it 3-3 at full-time.