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Chennaiyin FC fell to an away day defeat to Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League 2024-25 on Sunday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi.
Chennaiyin were without Connor Shields, who was ruled out of the match due to illness. Also among the absentees was defender PC Laldinpuia, who missed out following a suspension. In Shields' place came Lukas Brambilla, while Mandar Rao Dessai slotted in at left-back to fill in for Laldinpuia. The travelling Marina Machans started positively, with Brambilla stinging the goalkeeper's palms with a free-kick from a tight angle. Minutes later, Wilmar Jordan Gil brilliantly outmuscled two Kerala defenders but narrowly missed the back of the net with a lobbed effort. Chennaiyin were also resolute on the defensive end in the first half, with captain Ryan Edwards smartly thwarting a 2-v-1 breakaway on the half-hour mark. Brambilla then cleared the ball off the goal line following a Kerala set-piece, while Mohammad Nawaz displayed brave goalkeeping to maintain his clean sheet on the cusp of the interval. Kerala took the lead early in the second half when Jesus Jimenez tapped the ball into the net from close range. Chennaiyin, however, responded immediately after the concession and came close to scoring the equaliser through Farukh Choudhary, who flashed his volley over the bar. Shortly after, a last-ditch block agonisingly denied Brambilla the levelling goal. Kerala scored a second in the 70th minute before adding a third in stoppage time. Chennaiyin will look to bounce back from the defeat in their next match against Mohun Bagan Super Giant on November 30. (ANI)
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