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SC East Bengal and Chennaiyin FC played out a goalless draw on Matchday 4 of the ISL 2021-22 on Friday.
Things were difficult at the SC East Bengal camp in Goa before their ISL encounter against Chennaiyin FC. A draw against Jamshedpur FC and defeats against ATK Mohun Bagan and Odisha FC had dragged the team into a pit of problems.
On the other side were Chennaiyin FC, a side that has slowly built itself up as a strong side in the ISL. They had knocked off Hyderabad FC and NorthEast United FC before being pitted against the red and gold brigade. Many were confident that the Marina Machans would secure three points easily.
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Unfortunately for Chennaiyin FC, SC East Bengal's head coach had a different set of plans in store for this encounter. Defense was an area of concern for SC East Bengal going into this match. But things looked much better today compared to their previous outings.
Let's take a look at four things we learned from this encounter:
#4 SC East Bengal catching up to their defensive responsibilities
SC East Bengal left-back Hira Mondal walked away with the Man of the Match award today. But SC East Bengal goalkeeper Suvam Sen deserved it too for his performance against Chennaiyin FC. He managed to keep a clean sheet against an attack that kept on knocking on their door.
SC East Bengal captain Tomislav Marcela was the leader at the back. With his aerial superiority, he managed to win most of the headers during defensive corners.
This was a much improved performance from their defense after conceding 10 goals in their first three games.
#3 Young Indians showed promise
Young Indian players from both sides showcased their talent in this fixture. Chennaiyin FC captain Anirudh Thapa, along with winger Lallianzuala Chhangte and forward Rahim Ali, bolstered the attacking department for Chennaiyin FC. Meanwhile, fullbacks Reagan Singh and Jerry Lalrinzuala caught the eye both offensively and defensively.
SC East Bengal's Hira Mondal, who was awarded the Man of the Match, owned the left flank and was effective in keeping Chhangte at bay. He was supported by Naorem Mahesh Singh, who for his age was a complete engine against the Marina Machans. Amarjit Singh Kiyam, who was deployed as a right winger, played a fine role outside his usual position.
#2 Sense of relief at the SC East Bengal camp
SC East Bengal have had a turbulent start to the ISL campaign which plotted their performance graph as a downward slope. However the result against Chennaiyin FC will instill a sense of relief and belief in the camp.
The team turned up to respond to the Chennaiyin FC attack and also created a few chances for themselves in attack. They looked better on overall display than in their previous outings. Striker Daniel Chima, although not entirely fit to play the entire length of a match, showed glimpses of his abilities.
#1 A bump along the way for Chennaiyin FC
Chennaiyin FC had defeated Hyderabad FC in their season opener and NorthEast United FC in their second encounter. They were on the verge of a third successive win had they knocked off the red and gold brigade. Unfortunately, the Marina Machans had to settle for a point.
They now face ATK Mohun Bagan in their next game on December 11. Meanwhile, SC East Bengal clash with FC Goa on December 7.
