ISL 2024-25: Four different scorers as five-star Chennaiyin thrash Jamshedpur FC 5-1

Jamshedpur: Chennaiyin FC bounced back in style with a five-star display against Jamshedpur FC in their Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 clash on Monday at the JRD Tata Sports Complex Football Stadium, winning 5-1. Chennaiyin took the early lead through an own goal by Pratik Chaudhari (6’), before Irfan Yadwad (22’) and Connor Shields (24’) put the team 3-0 up with two goals in two minutes. Wilmar Jordan Gil (54’) added a fourth to the scoreline with his sixth goal in four games after the break, while Lukas Brambilla (71’) scored a fifth off the bench. Javi Hernandez (81’) pulled back a late consolation goal for Jamshedpur. A quick turnaround from the previous match against Punjab FC in Delhi meant head coach Owen Coyle named a much-changed side. In came goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz for his Chennaiyin FC debut, as well as Kiyan Nassiri and Vincy Barretto for their first starts of the campaign. Bikash Yumnam and Elsinho, too, featured from the start. Chennaiyin raced off the blocks in the midst of a raucous away atmosphere and found the net just six minutes in when Pratik Chaudhari turned Vincy’s inviting cross past his own goalkeeper. Advantage secured, the Marina Machans further tightened the screw on their opponents and went close through efforts from Vincy and Bikash. All of CFC’s pressure paid off in a moment of pure magic from Irfan Yadwad, who spun his marker on the halfway line before charging forward with the ball and scoring from the edge of the box. Moments later, Shields added a third for Chennaiyin with a sensational low-driven shot from distance. Nine minutes after the restart, some purposeful pressing from Irfan forced Pratik into giving the ball away as the last man. The ball fell to Jordan Gil, who sat the goalkeeper down with a dummy before finding the corner with a precise strike for his sixth goal of the season. Having come off the bench in the second half, Brambilla got in on the act; the Brazilian playmaker picked the ball up outside the box, before curling it beautifully into the near corner for CFC’s fifth of the night. Javi Hernandez scored a late consolation goal for the hosts from the spot following a dubious penalty call. Following two back-to-back away fixtures, Chennaiyin will return to the Marina Arena on November 9, to take on Mumbai City FC in their next match. –IANS