Chennaiyin FC will aim to record back-to-back wins for the first time in the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL) season when it takes on bottom-placed Mohammedan SC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday.
Mohammedan heads into the match after a draw against Odisha FC, while Chennaiyin comes into the contest on the back of a win over Sporting Delhi, with Farukh Choudhary’s solitary strike handing Clifford Miranda’s side its first home win of the season.
“The win against Delhi has instilled confidence in the team, but Mohammedan is a tough side to beat, irrespective of where it stands in the table. For us, it is about taking it one match at a time. Going forward, we have our plans in place, but for now, we are focused on getting three points in the next game,” said assistant coach Anthony Fernandes, who attended the press conference as Miranda was unavailable due to illness.
With the league nearing its final stretch, both teams have struggled. Chennaiyin has scored six goals and conceded 10 in eight matches, while Mohammedan has managed just four and conceded 21 in as many games. Chennaiyin has also not scored more than once in a match so far this season.
“I agree our scoring record has to improve, but for me creating chances is equally important, and we are working hard on these aspects,” Anthony said.
“The time constraints are something to take note of. If we are playing again within two days of a match, we focus more on recovery rather than working on set-pieces or improving our attacking play. That is not an excuse, and I agree we need to do better. I take full responsibility for not creating and converting more chances,” he added.
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Mohammedan will rely on forward Lalthankima Rotluanga, who has played every match this season and scored against Mohun Bagan, to deliver against Chennaiyin.
For both teams, the match is crucial in the bid to avoid relegation. The timing could suit Chennaiyin, which has the opportunity to pick up three important points ahead of travelling to face mid-table sides Jamshedpur FC, Punjab FC and NorthEast United, before returning home for its final match of the season against Bengaluru FC.
The prospect of heading into the Southern Derby for its final ISL game while sitting at the bottom of the table and facing relegation is something Chennaiyin, both as a club and as a fanbase, would want to avoid.
Mohammedan’s task does not get any easier either. With Delhi and Kerala to follow, the Black Panthers will look to build on their first point of the season with a stronger showing against Chennaiyin.
As the assistant coach pointed out, Chennaiyin cannot afford to be complacent, especially with Mohammedan having beaten Chennaiyin at home last season to register its first ISL win after promotion and holding it to a draw earlier in January.
While the absence of Elsinho Dias, who has been ruled out for the season, continues to trouble Chennaiyin, there is some good news at the back, with right-back Laldinliana Renthlei back in training and expected to return to the squad after missing the match against Delhi last week.
“Now I’m feeling better and fully fit, and I’m looking forward to the next match,” said Laldinliana.
Published on Apr 20, 2026
