Chennaiyin FC thrash TRAU FC to stay in contention for Durand Cup knockouts

Petar Sliskovic scored a brace for the Marina Machans.

Chennaiyin FC ran out comfortable 4-1 winners over 10-man TRAU FC, at the Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal, setting up a mouthwatering final group clash against Neroca FC, which on September 05, 2022, will determine the second spot from Group C. Hyderabad FC have already qualified as group toppers.

Even before referee Arumughan gave marching orders to Salam Johnson Singh near the end of the first half, TRAU FC were being completely dominated in the game by a determined Chennaiyin FC, in search of a first win in the tournament.

In the very first minute of the game, a long ball found Croatian striker Petar Sliskovic in space and he made no mistake. In 16 seconds, the score read 1-0 in CFC’s favour.

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Chennaiyin FC’s attacks continued and, in one such move, TRAU FC keeper Jedidi Haokip mistimed his challenge on Sliskovic and Arumughan pointed to the spot. Ghanaian Kwame Karikari converted without much fuss. CFC were 2-0 up with 20 minutes on the clock.

At about the half-hour mark, a wonderful free-kick from Anirudh Thapa found Sliskovic free again, but his header missed the target from close.

Then came the marching orders for Johnson and for some time after that at least, it looked to have spurred TRAU FC into action. Livewire Baoringdao Bodo in one of his bulldozing runs unleashed a shot that ballooned off the keeper and hit Sajid Dhot’s arm as he tried to backtrack and salvage the situation. TRAU FC skipper Komron Tursunov converted the game’s second penalty at the stroke of half-time.

But any hopes TRAU FC might have had of a comeback were crushed very quickly by a rampaging Chennaiyin FC after the break. Rahim Ali in the 48th minute after a layoff by Sliskovic, unleashed a powerful shot but it was well saved by Haokip, who had a lot to do on the day. A minute later Vafa, missed with a free header off a corner.

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But the Iranian got his goal in the 51st when off a trademark floating Thapa corner, he jumped tallest, completely unmarked yet again, to head in for CFC’s third of the evening.

They did not relent though and in the 54th, Edwin Vanspaul’s thunderbolt, shook the crossbar after beating Dinesh and came back.

Finally, in the 55th, Sliskovic got his second with yet another free header and there was no way back for TRAU FC.

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