Jamshedpur: In a match of more crappy fouls rather than of good football, Jeje’s 41st minute penalty saved the day for Chennaiyin as Jamshedpur FC succumbed to their second home defeat in three matches at the JRD Tata complex on Thursday.
Just when it seemed that the first-half would end with a flurry of missed chances, Mehtab Hossain returning from injury took a tumble in the box handling the ball in his own D, that paved the way for Jeje to score from the spot and give his side a crucial victory away from home.
The goal was however shadowed by more fouls and yellow cards combined with a big Jamshedpur miss, who could have atleast earned a draw had Kervens Belfort not missed one from the spot, their best chance in the match.
Steve Coppell’s side had however started much better and looked the only side that might score in the night when Belfort tested Chennaiyin custodian Karanjit, as early as the second minute. Four minutes later the ‘Men of Steel’ once again came closer this time through Jerry Mawhmingthanga’s long cross that somehow found a rushing Souvik Chakraborty who missed from a few yards out.
The home side dominated proceedings in the entire half, but went behind with a silly Mehtab Hossain’s mistake of handling the ball in the box, five minutes before the break. With the referee pointing to the spot without hesitation, Jeje stepped out and fired one behind Jamshedpur goalie Subrata Paul, that made the difference in the end.
With four goals in eight matches, Jeje may be in the top five of highest goal scorers this season but the match was far from what Gregory will expect from the Mizoram shooter. He had a chance to seal the game not once but twice with both coming as open chances but skied one above the bar, while the other was straight at Subrata’s hands.
At the brink of half-time, Jamshedpur for all it’s persistence got a life-line when the referee gave away a controversial penalty after deciding that Chennaiyin Sereno had pushed Biaksh Jairu in the box. Coach John Gregory though fumed at the decision at first, but calmed down when Kervens Belfort’s shot was brilliantly saved by Karanjit at goal.
The miss proved a little to big for the ‘Men of Steel’ in the end, who depite dominating the game could not find a breakthrough and coach Steve Coppell will be more worried about his team’s goal-scoring prowess rather than the defeat.
Courtesy the win, Chennaiyin moved four points clear of second placed FC Goa at the top with 16 points having played two more matches than the ‘Gaurs.’ Jamshedpur meanwhile remained positioned at sixth with just nine points from seven outings.