Dudu hat-trick in vain as Chennai on the brink of elimination

The result meant the defending champions are almost eliminated from the league with just 15 points from 13 matches. Chennaiyin showed the intent and started on an aggressive note while NorthEast upped the ante too and the teams dished out an electrifying performance. 

It was the Highlanders’ goalkeeper Subrata Paul to rise to the occasion first and the Indian goalkeeper pulled off an acrobatic save to deny John Arne Riise, who sent a scorcher from 30 yards, following a foul by Didier Zokora. 

Chenniayin broke the deadlock in the 34th minute when skipper Mehrajuddin Wadoo sent a cross from the right flank. Dudu moved in front of Paul at the near post and directed his header on target. 

Four minutes later, NorthEast were back on level terms when Koffi N’dri passed the ball to Velez, who stole the limelight with an exhilarating display of football skills. Velez dribbled past a couple of Chennaiyin defenders in style and sent a tracer bullet to the top left corner from the edge of the box. Karanjit could only watch the ball sail past him as he had no time to react. 

Dudu put Chennaiyin again in extra-time before the break when he connected Jerry Lalrinzuala’s cross from the left to put it past a diving Subrata Paul. 

Velez restored parity for the Highlanders in the 51st minute when Velez sent a ball in between Eli Sabia’s legs towards the goal but Karanjit, who got a hand to it, but couldn’t keep the ball away from target. 

Dudu scored his hat-trick in the 81st minute when he put Bernard Mendy’s cross into the net but the last laugh belonged to NorthEast as Shouvik scored off a corner with just one minute left on the clock.