Hyderabad kick-off 2021 with a resounding 4-1 win over Chennaiyin FC
- A brace from Narzary and goals from Chianese and Joao Victor hand HFC their third league win
This win takes Hyderabad to the 6th place in the league table, level on points with Bengaluru in 5th, and just a point below Jamshedpur in the 4th position.
HFC were the stronger side right from kick-off but missed chance after chance to break the deadlock in the first half. Chianese had a brilliant opportunity to open the scoring in the first minute and also later in the half while Aridane Santana, Halicharan Narzary and Mohammad Yasir, all had half-chance to give us the lead but came up against a spirited Vishal Kaith in goal for the visitors.
CFC also had a chance late in the half but Laxmikant Kattimani pulled off a fine save, to keep the score level, going into the break.
The second half in Bambolim was a goal fest, with Chianese starting it off, taking advantage of sloppy bit of defending for the hosts. The Australian had a tap-in after Kaith came out and failed to meet the ball and Hyderabad took the lead, not long after the break.
And just minutes later, a smart move from the midfield helped by indecisive defending from Chennai gave Narzary a half chance on the left, inside the box. The HFC winger pulled out a stunner, and left Kaith with no chance, as the ball thudded back off the crossbar to double Hyderabad’s lead.
A mistake from Kattimani did give CFC a way back into the game as Anirudh Thapa scored from six-yards out to half the deficit. But Hyderabad, who were the dominant side, were never ready to give up.
Joao Victor’s second goal of the season, Hyderabad’s third, arrived just after the drinks break as the Brazilian placed the ball perfectly into the corner from Yasir’s pull-back from the right, to regain the two-goal lead.
Narzary finished the game off from a counter attack as Fran Sandaza, who came off the bench, was quick to set him through from the half-way line. Narzary’s smartly taken brace earned him the ‘Hero of the Match’ award but it was a collective effort from all the players in yellow that helped Hyderabad register their third win of the Indian Super League season.
Asish Rai also hit the crossbar in the first half as Hyderabad could have easily scored more. But after three consecutive losses, they put in a dominant performance to start the year with a victory.
Hyderabad FC are back in action when they face NorthEast United at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco on Friday, the 8th of January.