Bhubaneswar, March 31: Former I-League champions Aizawl FC knocked out reigning ISL champions Chennaiyin FC 5-3 via tie-breaker in a thrilling pre-quarter final encounter of the Super Cup Football tournament. The teams were locked 2-2 at the end of the 120 minutes of slugfest that saw Romanian Andrei Ionescu strike twice for the I-League outfit while Chennaiyin came back twice during the dying moments -- first though Brazilian Mailson Alves in the 89th minute of the regulation time and then through Dhanachandra Singh in the 114th minute.
Lalmuankima scores for Aizawl to bring the penalty shoot-out to an end.
— Chennaiyin F.C. 🏆🏆 (@ChennaiyinFC) March 31, 2018
AFC ✅✅✅✅✅
CFC ✅❌✅ ✅
7-5#PoduMachiGoalu #HeroSuperCup #CFCvAFC
During the tie-breaker, former India player Mohammed Rafi missed the second penalty for the two-time ISL champions while Aizawl were on target with all their five shots.
| Churchill vs Mohun Bagan" />Chance for Bengaluru FC | Churchill vs Mohun Bagan
Rafi is up next and he puts it over the bar.
— Chennaiyin F.C. 🏆🏆 (@ChennaiyinFC) March 31, 2018
AFC ✅✅
CFC ✅❌
4-3#PoduMachiGoalu #HeroSuperCup #CFCvAFC
It was Ionescu, whose long ranger took a wicked deflection beating Chennaiyin custodain Karanjit Singh as Aizawl took the lead in the 22nnd minute.
Mailson restored parity just a minute before the final whistle converting a rebound in the 89th minute.
At the start of the extra time, Ionescu once again scored with a precision strike as it looked that Aizawl went 2-1 up.
With six minutes for extra time to end, Chennaiyins left back Dhanachandra Singh's low drive found the back of the net as the match went into a tie-breaker.
Aizawl FC's drew first blood in the 22nd minute when Romanian Andrei Ionescu made a brilliant run through the scattered Chennayin FC defenders, giving the I-League 2016-2017 champions a much needed lead in the game.
Chennayin FC, however, tried coming back through a few coordinated attacks later but they couldn't make way past the Aizawl FC defenders.
Aizawl FC continued with their attacking game even in the second half but failed to capitalize on their lead. On the other hand, Chennayin FC made some coordinated attempts and but some very brave saves from Aizawl FC goalkeeper Arup ensured that Aizawl FC maintained their solitary goal lead in the knockout encounter.
Chennayin FC finally breathed relief in the 89th minute through a cracking goal from Brazilian Mailson Alves. Chennayin FC there after kept pressing on the opponent's side but failed to get a lead within the regulation time.
Romanian Andreii Ionescu reinstated Aizawl FC's lead (2-1) with a fantastic goal beating Chennayin FC defenders in the very first minute of the extra time.
The second half of the extra time saw both the sides taking close chances but it was Dhanachandra Singh's ground shot from just outside the box that gave Chennayin FC the much needed equaliser in the 114th minute taking the game to penalty shoot-outs.
(Additional inputs from AIFF Media)