Aizawl FC kick started their round-of-16 campaign defeating the ISL 2018 Champions Chennaiyin FC in a nail-biting penalty shootout 5-3 (2-2) here yesterday.

Romanian Midfielder Andrei Ionescu (22′ and 91st minute) scored both the goals for Aizawl FC while Brazilian Mailson Alves (89′) and Dhanachandra Singh (115′) scored for Chennaiyin FC within the regulation time and extra time.

Aizwal FC’s  first attempt at the Chennaiyin FC goal came in the second minute through Afghan Masih Saighani, but they failed to find the back of the net.

Aizawl FC were soon lucky enough to get another chance to score through free kick just a couple of minutes later from just outside the goal box, but the shot yielded no results, landing safely into the hands of Chennaiyin FC goalkeeper Karanjit Singh.

Aizawl FC drew first blood in the 22nd minute when Romanian Andrei Ionescu made a brilliant run through the scattered Chennaiyin FC defenders. The very entertaining first half came to an end with Aizawl FC having a lone goal advantage over Chennaiyin FC. Chennaiyin FC finally breathed relief in the 89th minute through a cracking goal from Brazilian Mailson Alves.

Chennaiyin FC thereafter kept pressing on the opponent’s side but failed to get a lead within the regulation time.

Romanian Andrei Ionescu reinstated Aizawl FC’s lead (2-1) with a fantastic goal beating Chennaiyin FC defenders in the very first minute of the extra time. The first half of Extra Time ended with Aizawl FC leading 2-1 against Chennaiyin FC.

The second half of the extra time saw both the sides taking close chances but it was Dhanachandra Singh’s ground shot from just outside the box that gave Chennaiyin FC the much needed equaliser in the 114th minute taking the game to penalty shoot-outs.