Neroca, Chennai City take a point each

The host went ahead in the blink of an eye. Khanngam Horam found the net just 21 seconds after kick-off, registering the quickest goal of this I-League season. Mashoor Sheriff equalised for the visitor midway through the first half before Adolfo ‘Fito’ Miranda nicked the lead just seconds before the break. Philip Adjah saved the day for Neroca, converting a penalty in added time.

Nauzet Santana, who has been formidable for CCFC all season, committed a rare goalkeeping error during an attempted clearance.

Neroca talisman Adjah took his chances and closed the Spaniard down, blocking the effort. The ricochet fell to Horam, who made no mistake with his first-time finish. The early goal had catapulted Neroca with some momentum as Chennai City seemed a little nervy off the ball.

Adjah, who has been in fine form since signing in the winter, remained menacing throughout the game. In the 19th minute, he found Pritam Singh inside the box with a slick lay-off. But Santana did well to parry Pritam’s effort away.

However, Neroca’s lacklustre man-marking came back to haunt it as CCFC found its way back not long after, in the 21st minute.

Skipper Roberto Eslava found Katsumi Yusa inside the box and the veteran headed across goal to find Mashoor, who tapped in the equaliser. In the 32nd minute, the host earned a penalty for a handball by Charles Anandraj Lourdusamy.

Subash Singh took the responsibility but Santana redeemed himself and made amends for his earlier gaffe, guessing the right way to keep it out. ‘Fito’ missed a catalogue of chances towards the end of the half but struck in the dying seconds of stoppage time.

Katsumi led Chennai City on the counter and the danger seemed to have fizzled out when Taryk Sampson stopped the Japanese playmaker on his tracks.

Fito remained persistent and aided by some questionable defending from Ousmane Diawara, tried his luck from distance and beat Bishorjit Singh, courtesy of a deflection. The second half was more calculated and Fito’s strike at the death in the first may have been the catalyst for the change in approach.

In the 62nd minute, Pritam’s forward ball was chested down well by Horam, who went for the spectacular on the volley, prompting Santana to go full-stretch and hold on.

Fito could have rubber-stamped the three points in the 87th minute when an error from Manjit Sharma put him through on goal.

But, Bishorjit did well to come off his line and avert the danger. The heist was spoilt in the 90th minute after substitute Jishnu Balakrishnan tripped Imran Khan inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot.

Adjah stepped up this time and with fine aplomb, notched his ninth goal this term. The host climb just a place above to ninth, with 19 points on the board, while CCFC remains seventh with 21 points.