It's been a thrilling start to the second season of the Indian Super League, with goals coming in aplenty. A game that saw some impressive defending, good attacking, good finishing, and marvellous counter attacks from both teams.
It has been a real pleasure bringing the game LIVE. From IBTimes India, this is me Sayantan signing off. Catch you soon for the next game. Till then, keep on celebrating the beautiful game!
IT'S ALL OVER! Champions Atletico de Kolkata win the five-goal thriller. A brace from Helder Postiga and another goal from Valdo makes it the perfect start for Antonio Habas and his men.
From the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai, the Final Score:
Chennaiyin FC 2-3 Atletico de Kolkata
90 (+5)' Javi Lara is replaced by Arata Izumi. Final moments of the game now. Can Chennaiyin show a late resurgence?
90' Chennaiyin FC finally see an opening to snatch out a draw. Yellow card for Balwant Singh, as the fourth official mentions five minutes of additional time.
88' Penalty to Chennaiyin FC. Was it a handball by Arnab inside the box? The referee thinks so.
Elano stands behind the ball, and he SCORES. Blasts the net to make the score 2-3. Can we have a late twist here.
CFC 2-3 ATK
85' Sushil Singh replaces Baljit Sahni.
84' Arnab Mondal disagrees, but he receives a yellow. Chennaiyin FC get a free kick just outside the edge of the box.
Elano scoopsit, but it's high and wide. Wasted chance.
81' Indian striker Balwant Singh comes on for Sena Ralte.
78' The game has suddenly turned in favour of ATK. Penalty for the away side, after Mendy commits a handball inside the box. Lara to take it. Javi Lara forces a save from Edel. What drama! Gets a corner.
The momentum of the game has reached a crescendo now.
76' WHAT A START! GOAL!!! Valdo makes it 3-1 for ATK. Sublime header to finish Ian Hume's cross. The midfielder rises the highest, and what a terrific finish that is!
CFC 1-3 ATK
70' GOAL!!! Helder Postiga gets on the scoresheet again. Smashes the net. Picks up on the loose ball, after a horrible error by Mendy.
But, the Portuguese falls awkwardly, and oh dear, a stretcher has come on to take him off. A heroic night turned tragic.
We all hope he recovers in time for the next match, and the injury is not serious enough. He is replaced by Valdo.
CFC 1-2 ATK
66' Baljit needs to be careful with his tackles. Already on a yellow card. Needless challenge on Elano to concede a free kick.
65' Mendoza takes a corner. The ball falls in for Raphael, and the player just skies the ball.
63' Mendoza comes in from Fikru. Receives a loud applause from the crowd.
59' Yellow to Sena Ralte. ATK get a lifeline. Dangerous position to get a free kick from. Gavilan stands behind the ball.
The Spaniard takes the shot, and OH DEAR LORD, how close can that be!
58' Great chance for the home side to get their second of the evening. Huge bursts of attack from the players, but the final ball is just not good.
Meanwhile, brilliant defending from ATK to deny Elano.
54' Hume plays a lovely ball to Lara. The Spanish midfielder is through, lining up a shot, but oh, what a brilliant defending from Harmanjot.
Meanwhile, a wonderful attempt on goal from Borja. Atletico are upping the ante now. Great couple of chances!
52' Been a slow start to the second half, but hopefully the momentum will be back, as the game goes on.
49' Chennaiyin FC have to step up their defence. Ian Hume takes a shot on goal, but it's way over the target.
46' SECOND HALF gets under way. Bernard Mendy takes to the field to replace Mailson.
HALF TIME! The game is locked 1-1 as it goes to the lemon break. Helder Postiga opened the scoring for the away side, but Indian striker Jeje got the equaliser.
And the goal has upped the morale of the home side. Chennaiyin have completely dominated the last five minutes of play. The second half can only get interesting now!
45' Free-kick to Chennai in a dangerous position. Baljit challenges Elano just outside the box.
ELANO! No, he hits the wall. Nothing comes off it.
Additional time: 3 minutes.
43' Malison lands awkwardly following a challenge. He receives treatment, but is back on the field.
39' CHANCE! Harmanjot plays a cross inside the box. Jeje gets to it. But his header is way off target.
38' Yellow for Baljit Sahni.
37' Fikru and Elano are definitely the more lively characters in the field for the home side.
36' First corner for the away side. Nothing comes off it.
31' GOAL!!! Jeje gets the equaliser. A superb long ball from Elano inside the box. Fikru gets to it. His header forces a save from Amrinder. Oh wait. The loose ball is chipped in by the Indian striker.
CFC 1-1 ATK
29' Chennaiyin FC are trying their best to make inroads. But a resolute ATK defence is preventing every opportunity. What has Marco Materazzi got to say to this?
27' Pffff! What a try! Elano takes a powerful shot on goal. That was just inches wide. SO CLOSE!
24' Good eye-catching build-up from the home side. Elano controls the ball well and releases Harmanjot. The East Bengal man takes a shot, but it forces an easy save from Amrinder.
21' A superlative burst of run from Fikru. But what happened to the shooting boots of the Ethiopian?
20' The away side are completely bossing the game now. Wonder what the pep talk was from Antonio Habas just ahead of the game!
16' CHANCE! Elano gives a lethal pass to Fikru inside the box, BUT the striker just can't be on target.
13' GOAL!!! First goal of the ISL season 2. Atletico de Kolkata draw first blood through Helder Postiga. Long free kick from Borja inside the box. Edel completely miscues and collides with his own defender. The Portuguese seals the opportunity.
CFC 0-1 ATK
11' SAVE! Borja Fernandez takes a shot on goal. But comfortable catch for Edel Bete.
10' Burst of attack from Fikru. Making inroads into the penalty box from the wing. But his final ball is too wide.
6' Lara takes one more spot kick from the same spot. This time, it goes wide.
5' Thoi Singh makes a crunching tackle on Ian Hume. Free kick from a dangerous position for Atletico de Kolkata.
Javi Lara takes it. It hits the wall, and goes out for a goal kick. Yellow Card for Harmanjot Khabra for handling the ball.
2' Oh dear! Play has been momentarily stopped. A dog has made his entry in the field. Pretty sure he got his moment of magic!
1' Chennaiyin FC kicks off proceedings. And a corner follows. Elano takes it. The ball falls just outside the box, but nothing comes out of it.
THE MATCH GETS UNDER WAY. Get all the LIVE updates here.
HERE WE GO! The teams are out of the tunnel. Get set guys! AR Rahman croons the National Anthem, and everything is set.
Just minutes to kick-off. Buzzing atmosphere for the spectators as well as those who are sitting in front of their TV sets right now!
And here are the line-ups for the clash:
ATLETICO DE KOLKATA XI: Amrinder (GK); Rino, Arnab, Nato, Augustine; Borja, Gavilan, Javi Lara, Baljit Sahni; Ian Hume; Helder Postiga (C).
CHENNAIYIN FC XI: Edel (GK); Abhishek Das, Malison, Potenza, Sena Ralte; Elano (C), Raphael, Thoi, Khabra; Jeje, Fikru.
And as the Opening Ceremony undergoes, the two teams mean business here. Last minute preparations:
Snippets from the Opening Ceremony:
The Mozart of Madras, AR Rahman, is here, accompanied by the versatile and talented Sivamani, on drums. Can there be ever a moment like this? Rahman crooning the national anthem and ... this is just spellbinding! The speech impaired children also perform hand-in-hand. What a spectacle this is.
Mr. Rajnikanth is here on the dias, and well, he needs a special entry, doesn't he? You bet!
HOLD YOUR BREATH! Sachin Tendulkar makes his entry. Needless to say, a huge noise has taken the Marina Arena by storm now.
Ah, the queen of a million hearts! Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is here, in an elegant outfit. How more exciting and beautiful can this get?
Here we go, the huge logos of the eight franchisees are unveiled now, and the owners as well as the marquee players take to the stage.
"Let's football" is the tune reverberating, and dear, Alia has given it a new zing for sure!
The hearthrob of a million Indian youngsters, Alia Bhatt is here, to set the stage on fire. "Saturday Saturday" is the tune! A terrific Saturday this is going to be, for sure.
Okay so, here is Bollywood star Arjun Kapoor here at the Marina Arena, getting the Opening Ceremony under way. Amitabh Bachchan and his family present in the crowd, along with the 'invincible' Rajnikanth. The entertainment quotient has already reached zenith here!
We've got pictures coming in from the venue. Be assured, the atmosphere is electric!
The wait and the anticipation for the second season of the Indian Super League has finally bore fruit. The action begins in just minutes from now, with a grand opening ceremony. Last year's league leaders Chennaiyin FC take on champions Atletico de Kolkata in what will be a perfectly mouthwatering start of the ISL season 2.
This is me, Sayantan Maitra (twitter @san_footy), bringing you minute-by-minute updates of the game that is expected to take the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai by storm.
Here is what the two coaches have to say prior to the big inaugural encounter.
Antonio Habas, head coach, Atletico de Kolkata : "It always feels fantastic, when we start a new competition and a new season. But the problem for a coach is to give the first eleven because every player asks one question 'why I cannot play'. Nonetheless, there is a fantastic feeling within the team."
Marco Materazzi, head coach, Chennaiyin FC : "Last year, we did a very good with less time; this year, we have had more time to organize everything."
