NEW DELHI, OCT 24,
Delhi Dynamos and Chennaiyin FC (CFC) played out an insipid draw to leave the 3000-odd spectators disappointed at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Tuesday. The stalemate also left the teams without a win in four matches.
The two tested each other in the initial stages before the contest warmed up with Thoi Singh at the centre of the CFC attack.
He curled the ball in and Eli Sabia met the floater with a firm header only to see goalkeeper Francisco Dorronsoro come up with a neat save. It was the closest CFC came to scoring in the first quarter.
Thoi’s electrifying runs kept the Dynamos defence busy but he lacked support on the right flank. With five men packing the defence, the home team left little room for CFC.
Sabia worked hard to create scoring spaces but failed to give the finishing touch.
Most of CFC’s moves began deep from its defence. The towering figure of Raphael Augusto was a constant threat to Dynamos, which was also hustled by the roving midfielder Andrea Orlandi.
Dynamos had some moments of dominance but not a goal-bearing foray. CFC goalkeeper Karanjit Singh was hardly stretched until the 30th minute when Inigo Calderon cleared the ball in front of the goal.
Had Inigo erred, Andrija Kaludjerovic would have hurt CFC.
Kaludjerovic almost scored a while later but his header found the goalkeeper. The barren first half only reflected the lack of ideas among the strikers in both the camps.
Kaludjerovic gave way to Adria Carmona on resumption as Dynamos looked to score its first win.
The best opportunity of the match came 20 minutes from close when CFC triggered a counter-attack.
A pass by Thoi set up Carlos Salom, who, shockingly, messed it up by hitting straight to the goalkeeper. Salom could not have asked for a simpler opportunity even as Dynamos experienced a collective sigh of relief at the escape.
