Delhi: Delhi Dynamos produced a fine display of attacking football as they cruised to a 4-1 win - their first of the season - over Chennaiyin FC in an Indian Super League (ISL) match that saw end-to-end stuff from both the teams but better finishing from the hosts here at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium - including the fastest goal of the season.
In the 12th match of the ISL on Saturday, Delhi earned their first full points of the tournament after two draws while Chennai suffered their first defeat after two back-to-back wins.
Goals from Wim Raymaekers, Mads Junker, Bruno Herrero and Dos Santos gave Delhi a win at home, meanwhile Elano scored a consolation goal for Chennaiyin FC.
Delhi made a fantastic start to the match as a stunner from Raymaekers in the very first minute gave the home team an early lead. It was also the fastest goal of the season and could remain so through the tournament.
Alesandro Del Piero took the early corner Delhi earned in the opening minute, and the Chennai defence was caught napping as, after a short pass from inside the box, Raymeakers unleashed a left-foot curler to put the ball into the net.
An early goal helped the game open up and it was breathless stuff for the next few minutes as the Dynamos had a chance to double their lead through Steven Dias in the fifth minute but his shot from an acute angle was gathered easily by the Chennai goalkeeper.
Chennai then had a chance to draw level in the very next minute when their marquee player Elano took advantage of a slip-up by Delhi defence, but his shot from the left edge of the box was saved by Delhi goalie Van Hout.
Searching for an equalising goal, Chennai pressed more and more and almost succeeded but Khabra's volley from a free kick went just wide of Delhi goal. The home team then had another golden opportunity to double its lead when striker Mads Junker played a tentative square ball inside the six-yard box but that was easily intercepted.
The home crowd didn't have to wait long for the second goal when Dias - David Beckham of Indian football - delivered a pin-point cross inside the box which Junker put in the back of net without any fuss. Even with a 2-0 lead, Delhi didn't hold back and were consistently attacking.
Elano was Chennai's best player in the first half but was not able to find the mark and the teams went into the first half with Delhi leading 2-0.
Coming in after the breather, Chennai made two substitutes with Bojan Djordjic and Balwant Singh making way for Jayesh Rane and S. Mendoza. Meanwhile Delhi resumed in an identical fashion, attacking from the word go
But the first chance of the second half fell to Chennaiyin FC when former PSG player Mendy's flying header from Elano's corner failed to hit the target.
Delhi, with acres of spaces in the middle of the park, set their first attack of the half with Hans Mulder playing a wonderful lobbed ball to Dias, who sent in a good cross, which Bracigliano frittered away.
Then, against the run of play, Chennai almost made Delhi pay when substitute Mendoza used the space well that was provided to him by the Delhi defence to take a shot on half-turn but he smashed that just off target. Chennai had their best chance of the match in the 63rd minute but Delhi goalie Van Hout produced a crucial save to deny Mendoza, after Rane had done some superb work on the left flank.
The game, slowed for a while, was brought back to life in the 64h minute thanks to Elano's free kick which went into the net like a trace of bullet. When it looked Chennaiyin might give some nervy moments to Delhi in the dying moments at 2-1, a mistake from Khabra gave Delhi a penalty in the 79th minute which Bruno converted in style to make it 3-1.
But that was not it, Dynamos piled more misery on Chennaiyan FC's defence when Dos Santos solo run in the 90th minute helped the home side score the fourth goal and seal all three points in style.
The result moved Delhi up to fourth in the table while Chennaiyin, despite the loss, remained third, four points behind league leaders Atletico de Kolkata.
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