ISL 2025-26: Late Goal by Daniel Chima Chukwu Not Enough as Chennaiyin FC Fall to Inter Kashi

Daniel Chima Chukwu’s late strike couldn’t save Chennaiyin FC as they suffered a narrow defeat to Inter Kashi, with Alfred Planas scoring twice in their ISL clash.

ISL 2025-26: Daniel Chima scores first of the season but Chennaiyin fall to narrow loss against Inte (Image Source: IANS)

A late goal from Daniel Chima Chukwu was not enough as Chennaiyin went down to a narrow defeat against Inter Kashi in their latest Indian Super League encounter at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Tuesday.

Miranda’s starting XI saw the return of forward Inigo Martin, with the Spaniard leading the attacking line alongside Farukh Choudhary, Imran Khan, and Irfan Yadwad. Eduardo Kau slotted back into the defence after deputising in midfield for the injured Mohammed Ali Bemammer in the previous match, while Bemammer, back in the eleven, patrolled the centre of the pitch alongside skipper Alberto Noguera.

Chennaiyin settled into the contest with early intent, as Vignesh D and Bemammer tried their luck from distance. The Marina Machans continued to probe, with Martin at the heart of their attacking play. The Spaniard slipped Farukh Choudhary through with a delicate pass, but the forward’s heavy touch allowed the defence to recover. Minutes later, Martin cut in from the flank and fizzed one narrowly wide of the far post.

CFC’s attacking patterns grew more fluid as the half progressed, with neat rotations and quick interchanges troubling the Inter Kashi backline. A well-worked move saw Martin drop deep and switch play to Irfan, who combined with Farukh to release Vignesh, but his cross was just overhit. Noguera then attempted to thread a precise ball into Martin’s run, only to be denied by a last-ditch interception. At the other end, Mohammad Nawaz produced a stunning save just before the break, with Imran clearing the rebound off the line to preserve parity.

The second half, however, saw a shift in momentum as Inter Kashi struck early. Alfred Planas opened the scoring with a long-range effort soon after the restart, before doubling the advantage minutes later by sneaking in behind the defence to finish from close range. Chennaiyin responded by pushing forward, with Farukh testing the goalkeeper from distance as they looked for a foothold in the game.

CFC’s attacking patterns grew more fluid as the half progressed, with neat rotations and quick interchanges troubling the Inter Kashi backline. A well-worked move saw Martin drop deep and switch play to Irfan, who combined with Farukh to release Vignesh, but his cross was just overhit. Noguera then attempted to thread a precise ball into Martin’s run, only to be denied by a last-ditch interception. At the other end, Mohammad Nawaz produced a stunning save just before the break, with Imran clearing the rebound off the line to preserve parity.

The Marina Machans will look to bounce back when they face East Bengal in the league on Saturday.

Article Source: IANS