The 2015 Hero Indian Super League kicked-off on Saturdy as Chennaiyin FC hosted defending champions Atlético de Kolkata in the opening match of Season 2 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai on Saturday.

Atlético de Kolkata opened the score sheet when Portugal legend Hélder Postiga took advantage of a goalkeeping blunder by Chennaiyin FC’s Apoula Édel in the 13th minute. Edel’s attempt to collect a Borja Fernández freekick failed when the goalkeeper collied with defender Mailson and spilled the ball for an easy finish for Postiga.

Chennaiyin FC levelled the score line in the 31st minute to the delight to the home fans. Indian international Jeje Lalpekhlua slotted home after Elano sent in a cross from the right wing just to see Fikru Teferra Lemessa and goalkeeper Amrinder Singh clash in the box. The ball fell into the path of Jeje and the star striker from Mizoram made no mistake when his shot found the back of the net.

Chennaiyin FC looked close to take the lead in the second half, but Hélder Postiga put Atlético de Kolkata back in the lead in the 70th minute after Bernard Mendy produced a horrible error. Mendy’s attempt to head back to his goalkeeper was intercepted by Postiga who finished off in style. But the Portuguese star injured himself during the shot and he had to be substituted right after the goal.

Atlético de Kolkata sealed their win with another goal within a short period as substitute Valdo (76′) headed home a cross from Iain Hume. The visitors could have even increased their lead three minutes later when Mendy gave away a penalty after handling the ball in the box. But Chennaiyin FC goalkeeper Apoula Édel saved the penalty kick by Javi Lara.

Chennaiyin reduced the margin in the 89th minute, when the referee wrongly pointed to the spot after Jeje’s shot hit Arnab Mondal’s knee. But the referee called a handball and Elano stepped up to convert the penalty kick,

But in the end the Atlético de Kolkata managed to claim a 3-2 win against Chennaiyin FC to kick-off the season with three points.

2015 Hero Indian Super League
at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai

CHENNAIYIN FC 2-3 ATLÉTICO DE KOLKATA

GOALS
0-1 Hélder Manuel Marques Postiga (13′)
1-1 Jeje Lalpekhlua (31′)
1-2 Hélder Manuel Marques Postiga (70′)
1-3 Valmiro ‘Valdo’ Lopes Rocha (76′)
2-3 Elano Blumer (89′)

LINE-UPS

Chennaiyin FC
24 Apoula Edima Bete Édel – 15 Abhishek Das, 27 Mailson Alves Barreiro Veriato (46′ 5 Bernard Mendy), 31 Alessandro Potenza, 21 Lalhmangaihsanga Ralte (82′ 17 Balwant Singh) – 11 Thoi Singh, 18 Harmanjot Singh Khabra, 7 Elano Blumer [C], 19 Rafael Augusto Santos da Silva – 9 Fikru Teferra Lemessa (63′ 14 John Stiven Mendoza Valencia), 12 Jeje Lalpekhlua

Unused Subs
1 Karanjit Singh, 4 Justin Stephen, 6 Manuele Blasi, 8 Godwin Diogo Franco, 10 Jayesh Dilip Rane, 20 Bruno Augusto Pelissari de Lima, 22 Zakeer Mundampara, 26 Mehrajuddin Wadoo

Atlético de Kolkata
13 Amrinder Singh – 20 Rino Anto, 5 Arnab Kumar Mondal, 23 Ofentse Nato, 24 Augustin Melwyn Fernandes – 10 Francisco de Borja Fernández [C], 8 Jaime Gavilán Martínez – 6 Baljit Singh Sahni (86′ 18 Sushil Kumar Singh), 7 Iain Edward Hume, 2 Javier ‘Javi’ Lara Grande (90’+5′ 21 Izumi Arata) – 9 Hélder Manuel Marques Postiga (73′ 11 Valmiro ‘Valdo’ Lopes Rocha)

Unused Subs
1 Juan Jesús Calatayud Sánchez, 4 José Luis ‘Tiri’ Espinosa Arroyo, 12 Denzil Michael Franco, 22 Sameehg Doutie

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee
…

Assistant Referees
…, …

Fourth Official
…

BOOKINGS

Yellow Cards
5′ Harmanjot Singh Khabra (Chennaiyin FC)
39′ Baljit Singh Sahni (Atlético de Kolkata)
59′ Lalhmangaihsanga Ralte (Chennaiyin FC)
84′ Arnab Kumar Mondal (Atlético de Kolkata)

Yellow-Red Cards
none

Red Cards
none

HERO OF THE MATCH

Hélder Manuel Marques Postiga (Atlético de Kolkata)