It’s not very common to see the home fans of a losing team give a Viking clap to the opposition victor. However, that is exactly what the Chennaiyin FC fans did after their side went down to Hyderabad FC.
Thangboi Singto’s team, with an all-Indian contingent, overcame the odds to beat a fancied CFC and brought up its first win of the season. And the Supermachans, although modest in numbers, did not shy away from expressing their appreciation.
“A big salute to the Chennaiyin fans because they understood the situation despite supporting their home team. We had all the Indian boys tonight, and we were like underdogs. So, underdogs are always cheered upon, and today they did that,” Singto said after the match.
The HFC coach was also vocal about what this victory means to the young squad.
“What CFC fans did was something commendable for Indian football. Of course, the foreigners are there always to help us, but when the Indian boys do well, I think they need a little bit of pat on the back, and those types of shouts really propel their confidence to a higher stage,” he added.
Sankar Narayanan EH
A call to the fans
It has been four years since Chennaiyin FC last made the ISL playoffs, which included a memorable night at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Close to 18,000 people turned up to watch their home side wallop FC Goa 4-1 in the first leg of the semifinal.
READ | FC Goa qualifies for playoffs after thrilling 3-3 draw against Punjab FC
In the times since then, nights like those have been few and far between. Currently languishing at 11th in the points table, CFC is heading towards another underwhelming season. The club’s showing on the pitch was reflective of the poor attendance at the Nehru Stadium when Chennaiyin took on the then-league topper Odisha FC in a late evening clash. Despite just close to 1000 people turning up for the clash, in a nearly 36,000 seater stadium, the team provided a grandstand finish, with a stoppage-time winner.
Head coach Owen Coyle, who led the club back in 2019-20 in his first stint, feels the onus is on the team to bring the fans back into the stadium.
“It’s all connected. When I came in (2019), there weren’t big crowds initially. We have a loyal fanbase. When we are winning, the city feels good and people want to come out and support us. So that is on us to give the performances,” said the Scotsman.
A victory against Hyderabad FC, who hadn’t registered a win in 18 matches this season, in the next match would have added momentum for the playoff-chasing Chennaiyin. Instead, it’s defeat reiterates Chennaiyin’s woes in recent times.
Aashin Prasad
For the love of the game
Overcoming adversity: Anwar Ali’s refusal to give in to difficulties and distress underscores his resolve to play the game at the highest competitive level despite being diagnosed with a rare heart condition that almost threatened to end his career at its very inception. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Anwar Ali is the darling of the Mohun Bagan SG fans. The talented defender is greatly appreciated for his mental fortitude that sees the player overcoming physical adversities time and again. The thousands who had come to cheer the team recently when it hosted Jamshedpur FC in its home at Salt Lake Stadium were pleasantly surprised to see a giant tifo proclaiming Anwar as ‘The Phoenix: Rising from ashes’.
The player was making a comeback after recovering from a hamstring problem sooner than expected. This happened in the first ISL derby of the season against East Bengal as the player limped off the ground after playing for just 13 minutes. Previously in the season, Anwar was out of action for a considerable period of time due to an ankle injury, which also saw him miss the AFC Asian Cup.
It is his refusal to give in to difficulties and distress and bounce back strongly each time earlier than expected is what makes him the favourite of the fans. This underscores his resolve to play the game at the highest competitive level in the country despite being diagnosed with a rare heart condition that almost threatened to end his career at its very inception.
It was that determination to overcome all odds that continues to drive the gifted defender, who has time and again upheld the saying by the famous American footballer Alex Karras - “toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in the muscles.”
Amitabha Das Sharma
Bengaluru blues
If there is one ISL fixture that is a sure-shot sellout at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, it is the Bengaluru FC-Kerala Blasters contest. Men and women dressed in yellow come swarming into town from the neighbouring state to support their beloved team. But for all their prayers and wishes, Blasters haven’t ever won a game in Bengaluru. And it was the same yet again as BFC, which has struggled all-season to build a winning momentum, played the visitors off the park.
To rub salt into the wounds, Blasters fans were also constantly reminded — through chants and banners — of the infamous walkout from last year when head coach Ivan Vukomanovic led the team off after a disagreement with the referee. According to Aristotle, a tragedy is generally accompanied by a change of fortune. Blasters are still waiting for it.
N. Sudarshan
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