In what turned out to be a thrilling contest that saw 6 goals, Bengaluru FC triumphed over Chennaiyin FC 4-2 at the Marina Arena in the ongoing season of Indian Super League. The match exemplified Bengaluru’s come from behind character for which they had long been criticized as being unorthodox, as they displayed a high degree of creative, strategic and disciplined attacking effort.
Paradoxically, Bengaluru FC, a team known for its contemporary ultra possession dominated offensive style of football was able to exhibit its rich history as one of the league’s powerhouse while devastating Chennaiyin FC, who enjoyed a good start in the match with the home defending finish. This is a comprehensive analysis of the contest that captivated people, to say the least.
First Half: Chennaiyin FC’s Initial Dominance
As the match kicked off, players from both the sides were looking eager to take control with the Indian fans being treated to a fun matchup. Under the guidance of their head coach Thomas Brdaric, Chennaiyin FC seemed focused on not losing the home ground advantage. The fans were treated with a sight of aggressive intent as Bengaluru FC were put under pressure.
It was only a matter of time for Chennaiyin to try and get on the board and they did in the 15th minute. Edwin Sydney, Chennai’s midfielder, took a corner kick that saw the ball reach the towering center back, Akash Mishra, who jumped higher than anyone on the field and guided the header past the Bengaluru keeper, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. The home crowd erupted with joy as Chennaiyin fans witnessed their team take a crucial lead.
After conceding the first goal, Bengaluru had to switch tactics and made it difficult to beat the well structured Chennaiyin defense.
The Blues were able to create a few chances as their forwards Sunil Chhetri and Javi Hernandez worked well together, but the defense of Chennaiyin led by Deepak Tangri held up.
This time, even though Bengaluru was trying to dominate possession, it was Chennaiyin FC that looked far more dangerous in the opening half. They had the pace on the wings with Jessel Carneiro causing trouble on the left-hand side. But they were unsuccessful in capitalizing on their chances and the half ended with the score unchanged at 1-0 in favour of Chennaiyin.
Second Half: Bengaluru FC Stuns The Opponent With A Brilliant Show
Bengaluru FC emerged for the second half with a completely new resolve. Their coach, Simon Grayson applied some tactical changes meant to boost their attacking threat and threw in more forwards to break into the Chennaiyin defense. The Blues were quick to respond, and the match became a battle of who was stronger.
In the 52 nd minute, Bengaluru FC scored the equaliser through their lad up front Roy Krishna. The Fijian forward made a good run into the box after receiving a good pass from Hernandez. Krishna showed strength of purpose and put the ball past the Chennaiyin goalie Debjit Majumder which meant both teams had a score of 1-1.
The tables turned in favor of Bengaluru FC who now considerably dominated the gameanding up the nweta of game.
Though Chennaiyin FC remained dangerous on a counterattack, they started to crumble under constant pressure from the Blues. The combination of efforts by Krishna and Chhetri in Bengaluru was starting to come together and they were proving difficult to contain.
Bengaluru FC was first to score for the instance in the match when it was the 66th minute. Sunil Chhetri, becoming a nuisance , found room outside the box and scored a terrific goal which curled into the top corner out of the reach of Majumder. Chhetri’s goal made it 2-1 for Bengaluru, and the experienced captain could rejoice, since his shot greatly improved the chances for his team.
Chennaiyin FC was looking to score more goals but could not break through the defense of Bengaluru. The injury time and the third goal for the blues came in the 75th minute. This time Sivasakthi Narayanan was at the center stage. A fast break by Bengaluru saw Krishna send a ball at just the right time to Narayanan who scored easily past Majumder to increase Bengaluru’s lead to 3-1.
Chennaiyin FC displayed their fighting spirit and got back with renewed energy.
In the 82nd minute, they took the lead after a fantastic free-kick by midfielder Sourav Das, who curled the ball into the top corner, leaving Gurpreet unable to save it. The tally stood at 3-2, and the CFC fans believed that the team can manage a comeback to level the score.
That however was not the case for them as Bengaluru FC overcame the challenge at the end. They netted the fourth goal in the dying seconds of the match to take away the three points. A break in play saw Narayanan receive a fine ball that was delivered to him in perfect proportion by Hernandez and he had no issues in guiding it into the back of the net, taking the score to 4-2. Bengaluru FC finished the thrilling match on a strong note, overpowering their opponents in the second half.
Key Performances
Roy Krishna (Bengaluru FC): The Fijian forward crucially assisted Narayanan’s third goal and also scored the equalizer as he proved to be the much needed boost for Bengaluru. His activity along with the combination play he delivered was brilliant throughout the match.
Sunil Chhetri (Bengaluru FC): After Chhetri scored strengthening goal, Bengaluru began scoring goals from there on and went in the lead. Besides, he was the captain on the ground and that together with Krishna really made an impact on the attacking facets of Bengaluru’s game.
Sourav Das (Chennaiyin FC): Das proved to be a gamechanger for Chennaiyin after scoring an outstanding free-kick which gave his team a fresh lease of life.
His versatility in midfield ensured there was no lapse in alertness for Bengaluru.
Javi Hernandez (Bengaluru FC): Structural foresight and nonchalance served Hernandez well. His composure was proven to be essential during the matches by scoring the decisive goal that won the match for the blues.
Last Rating
Bengaluru FC’s win of 4-2 against Chennaiyin FC in the ISL 2024-25 was an utter display of class, drama, and intensity. The match saw the blues trailing early on but gained the momentum with goals from Roy Krishna, Sunil Chhetri, Sivasakthi Narayanan, and Javi Hernandez gaining them the victory. Chennaiyin FC worked tirelessly throughout, Sourav Das’s brilliant free-kick was a highlight, but ultimately they were left unfulfilled. The former ensures that Bengaluru FC climbs higher up the table whilst the latter seeks to bounce back in their next match. The clash was an attempt of brilliance for the ISL and consistently puts forward the argument that it is one of the most thrilling leagues in Indian football.
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