New Delhi, Oct 30 (Representative) Chennaiyin FC will be aiming for their third away victory of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season as they prepare to face Punjab FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Thursday.The Marina Machans have enjoyed an unbeaten run on the road so far, securing two wins and one draw from their three away encounters.Under the guidance of head coach Owen Coyle, Chennaiyin FC enters the match on the back of a thrilling 2-2 draw with FC Goa at home. A win against Punjab could see them climb to third place in the league standings.Despite acknowledging Punjab’s impressive start, having won three out of their first four matches, with their only loss occurring against Bengaluru FC, Coyle remains optimistic about his team’s chances to build on their current momentum. “It’s certainly going to be a tough game, one we’re looking forward to. We feel aggrieved to have lost a game in Delhi against Punjab last year. We scored three good goals which were all ruled out.
That being said, we never played as well as we could but we were always a goal threat. So what we want to do is carry our good form into another tough away game. We have done well on our travels this year and we want to do that again. We want to make sure that we are at our best,” Coyle stated in the pre-match press conference.The coach recently extended his contract with the club until 2026, underscoring his commitment to the team’s success.Forward Farukh Choudhary, who has had a strong start to the season, joined Coyle at the press conference and expressed his gratitude for the support he has received from his coach. Following his successful outings with the Indian national team, Choudhary aims to continue his scoring form for Chennaiyin FC. “Last year, there were times when my decision-making was not that great. But, he (Coyle) has always been there to guide me; even after the games, when we had our recovery sessions, he would call upon me and guide me, especially when it came to finishing.
I was in a hurry always, I would always go for power, but he told me you just need to put the ball in the sides. All those things helped me a lot. But, I think I can improve a lot more when we get the ball, when we attack, and be more clinical in front of the goal,” Choudhary reflected.Chennaiyin FC will welcome back Laldinliana Renthlei, who has served a one-game suspension, while Jiteshwor Singh has recovered from injury and will travel with the team to New Delhi. Ankit Mukherjee, however, will continue his rehabilitation process.As the Marina Machans prepare for this crucial encounter, fans will be eagerly watching to see if they can maintain their strong away form and secure a vital three points in their quest for the ISL title.