The Chennaiyin FC U-18 team defeated Raman Vijayan Soccer School (RVSS) by a 14-5 scoreline in an U-18 Youth League encounter at the SSN College Ground in Chennai today. B. Rohmingthanga turned in a five-star five-goal performance for Chennaiyin while Lingeswaran M. scored a hat-trick. Skipper Zonunmawia, Syed Suhail Pasha and Lalliansanga Renthlei scored two apiece for CFC in what was a goal frenzy for both sides.

Chennaiyin fell behind early in the match after Ganesan U. converted a penalty for RVSS after a foul in the opening five minutes. However Lingeswaran M. drew level for CFC soon after when he scored from an assist by CFC skipper Zonunmawia in the 12th minute. Goalscorer Lingeswaran turned provider a couple of minutes later when he set up Syed Suhail Pasha to put Chennaiyin 2-1 up.

CFC striker B. Rohmingthanga then joined the scoring party to make it 3-1 when he got on the end of a delightful through ball from Lalliansanga Renthlei. RVSS pulled one back through Siva Sakthi after the half-hour mark but Rohmingthanga restored his side’s two-goal cushion when he made it 4-2 two minutes later. He completed a first-half hat-trick soon after as he combined well with strike-partner Suhail to give Chennaiyin a 5-2 lead going into the break.

There was no respite for RVSS in the second period as Rohmingthanga and Suhail scored their fourth and second goals respectively to make it 7-2 within five minutes of the restart. Captain Zonunmawia then netted CFC’s eighth of the afternoon before RVSS scored through Chiyshulo Kupa with the scoreline reading 8-3 at the hour mark.

Rohmingthanga then capped off a match to remember as he scored his fifth on 62 minutes, followed by Lingeswaran M. scoring his second a minute later. RVSS then had a dominant spell that saw them pull two goals back, with Kupa and Siva Sakthi completing their personal double.

The match looked to be heading for a 10-5 finish in favour of the CFC U-18s but the free-scoring boys in blue were not done yet. A Lalliansanga quickfire double was sandwiched between Lingeswaran’s hat-trick goal and Zonunmawia’s second as Chennaiyin finished on a high with the scoreline reading 14-5.

The Chennaiyin FC U-18s now face the Bengaluru FC U-18s in their next match on Tuesday 27th February, 2018 having drawn 2-2 in the reverse fixture.