Lallianzuala Chhangte provided a glimpse of victory at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here but defensive lapses proved costly again as Delhi Dynamos played out yet another draw (2-2) – this time against Jamshedpur FC – in its faltering campaign in the Indian Super League.
With the result, Jamshedpur goes to the top of the table, on goal difference.
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Sergio Cidoncha scored through a counter-attack and gave Jamshedpur FC the lead in the first half, but Chhangte starred in two early goals in the second to take his side to within sniffing distance of a victory. The goals lifted the spirits of the coach Josep Gombau and the crowd, but victory proved elusive yet again as Tiri, unmarked, equalised via a header off a corner in the 72nd minute.
The first half was insipid for the most part. Neither goalkeeper was made to make a single save until the 38th minute, when Gourav Mukhi’s weak shot was saved by the Francisco Dorronso. A minute later, Jamshedpur FC attacked on a counter and found the Dynamos defense wanting. The field was free – only two defenders within reach of four opponents – and Cidoncha made no mistake, slotting it home on the left.
In the first half hour, there were a number of half-chances: Bikramjit held on to the ball too long in front of the Jamshedpur box, Mukhi wasted a chance on the counter, and Daniel Lahlimpuiah, having received a promising cross in the box, headed wide.
Jamshedpur’s lead could have been doubled just before the break, Mukhi’s header tipped on to the crossbar by a leaping Dorronso.
The contest came alive in the second half. A dog’s intrusion, too, became the cause of much excitement among the crowd. Gaps in defence and lacklustre finishing plagued Dynamos for the first half of the contest, and it took - ironically for a team that relies on the passing game – a counter-attack to turn things around.
Chhangte found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper and slotted his first goal of the competition. High on confidence, Delhi Dynamos soon doubled its lead by capitalising on Jamshedpur’s defensive lapse. Chhangte was at the centre of it again as he crafted an accurate cross towards Adria Carmona and the latter's clinical header handed the home side a 2-1 lead.
The tables couldn’t turn for the home side, as Jamshedpur FC captain Tiri scored a diving header in the 72nd minute to restore parity. Delhi Dynamos goalkeeper Albino Gomes pulled of a fine save to block a fierce strike from Cidoncha in the 87th minute and ensured that his side picked up a point from the tie.
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