FC Pune City and Chennaiyin FC settled for an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune on Tuesday.
It was a high tempo match with a host of chances for both sides. A place at the top of the table was up for grabs for the winner but there was nothing to separate the two sides.
Kostas Katsouranis put the hosts ahead in the 9th minute with a sublime finish. Elano Blumer missed a penalty a few minutes later but John Stiven Mendoza equalised for the visitors in the 58th minute to ensure that honours were shared. Chennai remain in second spot on 12 points and Pune on third with one less.
Chennaiyin were first off the blocks through Mendoza who cut in from the right wing and took a swerving shot which Pune goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya barely managed to keep out. The hard working Dudu Omagbemi then had a chance for the hosts but failed to fire. Pune went into the lead after Israil Gurung put in a superb cross from the right. Katsouranis ran in from midfield and got on to the end of it and hit the target on the half volley.
Thereafter, Chennaiyin got a strong foothold in the game and began to pepper the Pune goal with shots. Daniele Magliochetti fouled Marco Materazzi in the box and a penalty was awarded to Chennai. Elano stepped up but hit his penalty well wide of the right post.
Chennai continued their dominance through most of the second session and finally were rewarded for their persistence when Elano hit a long ball forward for Mendoza. Dharmaraj Ravanan and Bruno Cirillo were found wanting as Balwant Singh and the Colombian combined to rip open the defence with the latter side footing the ball past Bhattacharya for the equaliser.
Pune now travel to Guwahati to play NorthEast United FC on November 15 while Chennai will take on league leaders Atlético de Kolkata a day earlier in Kolkata.
Stopwatch: FC Pune City 1 (Katsouranis 9) drew with Chennaiyin FC 1 (Valencia 58)
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