ISL 2025-26: Mohammedan SC holds sluggish Chennaiyin FC to goalless draw Chennaiyin FC’s wait for back-to-back victories in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 season, and for its first win over bottom-placed Mohammedan FC, continued after it played out a goalless draw at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Tuesday.
The conditions were demanding, but Chennaiyin’s evening was marked more by a lack of urgency than by the weather, as Mohammedan grew in belief and came away with a deserved point.
It was the visitor who asked most of the early questions in a game short on clear openings. Hira Mondal came closest to breaking the deadlock. After Makan Chothe cut the ball onto his left foot and delivered an inviting cross, Hira arrived at the back post and guided his effort goalwards, only for Mohammad Nawaz to get his fingertips to it and keep Chennaiyin level. Soon after, Mahitosh Roy’s cross from the left picked out Hira again, but this time he could not keep his header down.
While Chothe remained a lively outlet in attack, Mohammedan’s defence was equally committed. Juwel Mazumder produced a crucial goal-line clearance towards the end of the first half after Mandar Dessai, on for the injured Klusner Pereira, sent in a cross from the left that found Imran Khan, whose effort looked destined to test the goalkeeper.
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Imran was Chennaiyin’s most industrious player, covering ground and trying to inject urgency into an attack that too often lacked conviction. Klusner’s debut, however, ended prematurely after he picked up a knock.
Mohammedan goalkeeper Padam Chettri looked uneasy in the opening exchanges, failing to gather the ball cleanly on more than one occasion. Chennaiyin did show brief promise in patches, with Imran linking up neatly with Chima before Maheson Singh was found in a dangerous area, but the latter’s heavy first touch took the ball away from him, and the move ended only in a corner.
The second half brought more frustration than fluency for the home side. There was a moment of encouragement when local youngster Prakadeswaran found space in the middle of the box, but the 19-year-old could not bring the ball under control, and the chance slipped away. It was a miss that summed up Chennaiyin’s evening, especially as some of its more experienced players struggled to impose themselves as well.
Mohammedan continued to threaten sporadically. Chothe cut inside and combined quickly before dragging a long-range effort over the bar.
Then, with about 10 minutes remaining, Irfan floated in a cross with the outside of his boot, but Chima failed to hit the target, mistiming his volley for the second time in the match.
In the end, Chennaiyin did not do enough to force the issue, while Mohammedan may feel that, with greater composure in front of goal, it could have taken all three points.
Published on Apr 21, 2026
#ISL #Mohammedan #holds #sluggish #Chennaiyin #goalless #draw
Chennaiyin FC’s wait for back-to-back victories in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 season, and for its first win over bottom-placed Mohammedan FC, continued after it played out a goalless draw at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Tuesday.
The conditions were demanding, but Chennaiyin’s evening was marked more by a lack of urgency than by the weather, as Mohammedan grew in belief and came away with a deserved point.
It was the visitor who asked most of the early questions in a game short on clear openings. Hira Mondal came closest to breaking the deadlock. After Makan Chothe cut the ball onto his left foot and delivered an inviting cross, Hira arrived at the back post and guided his effort goalwards, only for Mohammad Nawaz to get his fingertips to it and keep Chennaiyin level. Soon after, Mahitosh Roy’s cross from the left picked out Hira again, but this time he could not keep his header down.
While Chothe remained a lively outlet in attack, Mohammedan’s defence was equally committed. Juwel Mazumder produced a crucial goal-line clearance towards the end of the first half after Mandar Dessai, on for the injured Klusner Pereira, sent in a cross from the left that found Imran Khan, whose effort looked destined to test the goalkeeper.
ALSO READ | Owen Coyle: India should make use of more talents from overseas like Ryan Williams
Imran was Chennaiyin’s most industrious player, covering ground and trying to inject urgency into an attack that too often lacked conviction. Klusner’s debut, however, ended prematurely after he picked up a knock.
Mohammedan goalkeeper Padam Chettri looked uneasy in the opening exchanges, failing to gather the ball cleanly on more than one occasion. Chennaiyin did show brief promise in patches, with Imran linking up neatly with Chima before Maheson Singh was found in a dangerous area, but the latter’s heavy first touch took the ball away from him, and the move ended only in a corner.
The second half brought more frustration than fluency for the home side. There was a moment of encouragement when local youngster Prakadeswaran found space in the middle of the box, but the 19-year-old could not bring the ball under control, and the chance slipped away. It was a miss that summed up Chennaiyin’s evening, especially as some of its more experienced players struggled to impose themselves as well.
Mohammedan continued to threaten sporadically. Chothe cut inside and combined quickly before dragging a long-range effort over the bar.
Then, with about 10 minutes remaining, Irfan floated in a cross with the outside of his boot, but Chima failed to hit the target, mistiming his volley for the second time in the match.
In the end, Chennaiyin did not do enough to force the issue, while Mohammedan may feel that, with greater composure in front of goal, it could have taken all three points.
Published on Apr 21, 2026
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