Roy Krishna found the only goal of the match with a show of individual brilliance to help ATK Mohun Bagan edge out Chennaiyin FC in its penultimate match of the ISL-8 at Fatorda on Thursday and ensure a playoff berth.
The win also saw ATK MB climb to the second spot while tying the current leader Jamshedpur FC on 37 points. This will intensify the contest for the league winner’s Shield although JFC has played a match less.
From the outset, ATK MB made repeated raids to pin the opposition. ATK MB almost had the break in the second minute when a through ball from playmaker Joni Kauko set up Krishna inside the CFC box with a nice through pass. The Fijian striker unleashed a powerful shot just to see his attempt coming off the near post.
Rahim Ali almost got the lead for CFC in the eighth minute but his effort missed the target narrowly. The CFC defence also did well maintaining a compact shape and cramped ATKMB’s famed attack for want of space in the striking zone.
The Krishna-Kauko combination broke the deadlock in the injury-time of the first half when the latter created the opening by essaying a precise through pass to the former in the CFC box.
Krishna beat his marker and finished with an angular drive that beat CFC goalkeeper Samik Mitra.
