Highlights | FC Goa Beat Chennai City FC 3-0, Enter Hero Super Cup Final

73’ Jackichand Singh goes off, that shot the last thing from him. Manir Singh replaces him.

Plenty of fun prospects for the national team on show here. Brandon Fernandes is making a case. Maybe, in a different scenario, some of the Chennai boys would look better. In any case there is little doubt it’s competition that’s led to this rapid up in the way football in India is being played. Let’s hope the monopolists in the house don’t win.

-- Siddhanth

77’ Chennai are finally showing some attacking intent, but too late now. They’ve been ponderous through the game. Some slick crosses now, but no one on the end of them. Pedro Manzi has finally been kept quiet.

79’ Goa break on a counter, and its three against one. None of the Chennai players bother tracking back. Its Gaurav Bora though and he smartly pushes Manvir into a corner, and Manvir panics and shoots. Blocked and then saved.

80’ Manzi gets the ball in the box, and wriggles and dribbles but doesn’t pull the trigger. It’s enough time for Mourtada Fall to come in and clear it away. That was Chennai’s clearest chance. And it wasn’t even a chance.

82’ Coro has another chance for a hat-trick, but this is some brilliant defending from Tarif who just throws himself in the way of the shot. A cut back from the right had freed Coro up.

Bengaluru FC, if they’re watching, will be a little pissed off by Chennai’s performance tonight. Who can blame them? Then again, for a pointless trophy, who can blame Chennai for running flat?

-- Siddhanth

84’ Hugo Boumous wriggles past all three of Chennai’s defenders but pokes the ball wide from three yards (and a tight angle) when he may have been better off squaring it to Coro.

86’ Goa pinging it about at the back. Chennai don’t have the legs to do anything about it.

87’ Another Goa break, Hugo Boumous squares it for Zaid Kroch who, for the first time this game curls it perfectly into the corner, but Mauro’s big hands keep it out. No matter the scoreline, Mauro has again been magnificent today for Chennai.

The dream is over. Chennai’s at least. The I-League champions have been done in by the ISL runners up. Finally the juggernaut has halted. They looked, tired and slow today, perhaps done in by their previous matches or even the trials of the long season. A lot of their play was ponderous, pointless and their young Indian defence was caught out too often by Goa.

Take nothing away from Goa though, who were exceptional. They got on the accelerator early and kept the foot there. Lenny Rodrigues was exceptional for them, and he could be in for his second successive Super Cup (he won his first with Bengaluru FC last season). Over the past five ISl seasons, FC Goa have undoubtedly been the style team to watch. In the Zico years they were undeniable and luxury, and even after they have been exceptionally stylish. For all of that though they have never won a trophy. This will be there chance. They go up against either Atletico de Kolkata or Chennaiyin FC who play off tomorrow.

To those just discovering the beauty of Lenny Rodrigues, you’re welcome. For me, and no offense to Lenny here, he encapsulates what football in India has been all about for the past couple of decades. So much potential, so much more to do. Loved the effort my long-legged brother. Hope you stay strong, fit and smart as always. Goodnight.

-- Siddhanth