ISL 2018-19, ATK 2-1 Chennaiyin FC: 5 talking points
It took three matches for ATK to break their poor home run record of the Indian Super League season 5. The home team got the better of Chennaiyin FC by 2-1 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Friday.
As ATK got their first win at home this season, more pressure piled on the defending champions as they slumped to their fourth defeat in five matches this season.
Chennaiyin FC had a fair share of the ball, got more shots than ATK but failed to score one more goal, which could’ve earned at least a point.
This was ATK’s second win this season and they entered top four on the table for the first time with seven points out of five matches. Chennaiyin FC remained at the bottom with just one point and it needs a miracle to revive their campaign.
Kalu Uche, who got himself in the starting line-up again after coming back from a calf injury, put his team ahead with a superb placement.
Karanjit Singh’s goal-kick was headed towards the opponent half by Gerson Viera in the half-line and Uche, who was standing not far from the 18-yard box, drove the ball past a hapless Karanjit with his first touch.
ATK got their second through a free-kick in the 14th minute when Manuel Lanzarote found John Johnson inside the box and Scottish player coolly finished it off on the second post.
Chennaiyin FC put one back within three minutes when Francisco Fernandes put some brilliant skill to speed past Balwant Singh and his pin-point cross superbly headed by Carlos Salom.
Let us look at the five talking points of the match:
#5 Gregory’s questionable strategy
John Gregory certainly knows how to win a match. He always fields a line-up which attacks relentlessly, whatever is the situation of the match.
He started with Salom in the upfront but curiously benched Jeje Lalpekhlua. Jeje certainly has an impressive record against ATK and he always thrives for goals.
So putting him on the bench meant Chennaiyin FC was weaker on the attacking third and Salom couldn’t find an able partner who would complement him.
Another questionable omission was Gregory Nelson. The Dutch winger knows how to keep the ball and avoid his marker.
He creates chances on a regular basis and could score goals when the team need. Nelson was introduced in the second half and he took a bullet head towards the goal, which luckily saved by Arindam Bhattacharya.
As supporters are already calling for his head, Gregory now needs a miracle to revive his team’s campaign.