Chennaiyin bows out of Super Cup

MANJERI: Chennaiyin FC bowed out of the Super Cup following a 0-1 defeat to Mumbai City FC in its third and final Group D match at the Payyanad Stadium in Manjeri on Wednesday.

Young striker Ayush Chhikara scored the only goal of the match in the 33rd minute. The Thomas Brdaric-coached Chennaiyin finished third in the group with four points. Despite a win, Mumbai City failed to make it to the semi-finals, with NorthEast United progressing after its 6-3 win against Churchill Brothers FC.

Brdaric made one change to the starting eleven as he brought in creative midfielder Nasser El Khayati for his first match of the competition. The clash lived up to its expectations as the ball kept moving consistently from one half to another with both teams going all out from the word go.

While both teams played aggressively in search of the opener, it was Mumbai City which managed to break the deadlock when Chhikara tapped a Bipin Singh cross into the net. After the break, CFC had a close chance to score the equaliser in the 52nd minute when Edwin Sydney Vanspaul crossed the ball from just outside the box but Kwame Karikari could only head it on target. Nine minutes before the final whistle, a rebounded off a corner fell to substitute Mohammad Rafique, whose shot brushed the crossbar before going out.

Chennaiyin thus finished an ordinary season on a poor note. CFC had made it to the Durand Cup quarter-finals before finishing eighth in the Indian Super League 2022-23. Despite not guiding Chennaiyin to great heights in his debut season, Brdaric sounded positive about continuing his stay at the southern club.

RESULT: Mumbai City FC 1 (A Chhikara 33) bt Chennaiyin FC 0