Punjab FC defeated Chennaiyin FC 1-0 on Monday at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, ending a 10-match wait for their first-ever Indian Super League (ISL) victory.
The ISL rookies had gone dangerously close to winning multiple times already, but on a cold night in front of their home supporters in the nation’s capital, their moment of reckoning finally arrived. For this accomplishment, Staikos Vergetis can thank Madih Talal, his 26-year-old French attacking midfielder.
Throughout the entire game, Talal caused havoc for the Marina Machans by frequently breaching their defence from various angles and attempting shots at goalkeeper Debjit Majumder. But Connor Shields’ relatively simple opportunity to score from close range could have saved Owen Coyle & Co. had Jordan Murray’s squared-up pass to him in the 14th minute. The Scottish striker, who had not scored in Chennaiyin FC’s previous six games, failed to hit the mark, and Talal punished the visitors by showcasing his inventiveness for the remainder of the match.
Initially, he entered the box from the right side, slipped past the Chennaiyin FC defence, and fired directly at Majumder. Then Talal attempted to head the rebound into the net, but Sarthak Golui made a vital clearance across the goal line. After 16 minutes, Suresh Meitei, a defender for Punjab FC, moved forward near the Chennaiyin FC box. He used his quick feet to control the ball and then passed it to Talal in the centre of the 18-yard box. Despite the Frenchman’s close-range overhead strike and slight lob, the ball unfortunately deflected off the goalposts.
But his efforts wouldn’t be in vain because the Chennaiyin FC defence started to closely monitor the midfield player. That pulled them away from other players in Punjab FC, giving their frontline yards extra space to work with. Finally, in the 56th minute of play, Talal scored a move that exuded class.
The entire stadium erupted as he dashed into the Chennaiyin FC box from the right flank once more and stopped his shot with such force that Majumder was floored at the near post. On the touchline, Vergetis exhaled a sigh of relief as his team, strengthened by the addition of workhorses like Brandon Vanlalremdika and Krishnananda Singh, among others, covered every blade of grass until the final whistle blew to hold fast to their lead.
Talal had a fantastic game, finishing 76% of his 42 passes, making seven crosses, creating three goal-scoring opportunities, drawing seven fouls, intercepting one, and scoring the crucial goal that gave Punjab FC their first-ever ISL victory.