Bottom-placed Delhi Dynamos let slip a one-goal advantage to share the spoils with visiting Chennaiyin FC in their Indian Super League (ISL) match here on Sunday.
Kalu Uche put the home team ahead with a 59th minute strike from the spot.
Looking to consolidate their position in the top four, Chennaiying FC equalised through Mailson Alves's header following a set-piece in the 81st minute.
A charging Xavier, who had a good game till then, tried to punch it away but left the net empty.
While the result doesn't hold much significance for the embattled hosts, Chennaiyin would have like to go home with full three points.
The Super Machans, though, still managed to keep their playoffs hopes alive despite conceding first at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
And the visitors need to thank their central defender for finding the equaliser and at least securing a point in the dying moments of the game.
Delhi coach Miguel Angel Portugal made three changes to the starting XI with the injured Pritam Kotal being replaced by Dayananda Moirangtem while Mohammad Dhot came in for the suspended Pratik Choudhary in central defence
pune claim ‘maha’ derby
An erroneous deflection from Raju Gaikwad and a beautifully taken finish from Marcelinho made all the difference as FC Pune City beat Mumbai City 2-0 in the Maharashtra derby. The win keeps The Stallions in 2nd place in the Hero Indian Super League, three points ahead of 3rd placed Jamshedpur FC and five behind table-toppers Bengaluru FC.
Mumbai were punished for their profligacy in the match — wasting multiple chances as they attempted to fight back after Gaikwad's own goal had given the visitors the lead.
The loss is also Mumbai's fourth in a row at the Mumbai Football Arena, and they now need other results to go their way if they want to make the top four.
A cross from Sarthak Goloi in the 18th minute was missed by Diego Carlos who should have headed it in with ease — but Raju Gaikwad was next in line of the trajectory of the ball. It struck him and softly trickled into the net — but it was a deserved lead after some excellent pressure from Pune early on.