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Marking a significant milestone in the 132nd Durand Cup, Chennaiyin FC carved history by being the first team to advance to the knockout stages. Their skillful play against Nepal's Tribhuvan Army FC, culminating in a dominant 3-0 win, reaffirmed their position as frontrunners in this edition of the competition. This pivotal clash took place at the esteemed Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium.
The scoring action for Chennaiyin kicked off with Farukh Chaoudhary netting a goal in the 22nd minute. This was soon followed by Rahim Ali, who successfully converted a penalty shot in the 40th minute. By the 84th minute, Rafael Crivellaro sealed Chennaiyin's authoritative victory with a stunning strike.
Having secured six points from just two matches, Chennaiyin FC has firmly planted itself atop Group E, clinching their coveted quarterfinal berth.
The tactical choices made by their head coach, Owen Coyle, paid dividends as he persisted with the winning combination that had previously overcome Hyderabad FC. On the opposing side, Tribhuvan Army FC's strategist, KC Megh Raj, introduced a solitary change to their lineup, bringing in Basant Jimba in lieu of Suroj Basnet.
From the whistle, Chennaiyin FC exhibited aggressive gameplay, pressuring the Nepali side and maintaining an iron grip on possession. Initial game highlights saw Connor Shields narrowly missing a scoring opportunity while setting up Farukh Choudhary. The duo's synergy later bore fruit as they collaborated to put Chennaiyin on the scoreboard.
The intensity ratcheted up further as Jordan Murray faced a foul, giving Rahim Ali the golden chance to double Chennaiyin's lead from the spot. While Tribhuvan Army FC had fleeting moments of brilliance, with Basant Jimba nearly scoring, Chennaiyin's relentless offense kept them in check.
Owen Coyle's strategy of refreshing the lineup kept the momentum in favor of Chennaiyin FC, continually putting Tribhuvan on the defensive.
Tribhuvan Army FC's resilience was truly tested when their captain Nawayug Shrestha had a promising attempt staved off by an alert Debajit. Yet, it was Chennaiyin's Rafael Crivellaro who had the final word, piercing through the Nepali defense to net the team's third and final goal of the match.
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