FC Goa faced off against Chennaiyin FC in the semifinals of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) and suffered a 4-1 defeat in the first leg.

Goa were without the services of Brandon Fernandes and chief playmaker Hugo Boumous due to injury, and their replacements Seiminlen Doungel and Manvir Singh were always going to have big boots to fill.

The first half saw Chennaiyin attack the depleted visitors, and had chances to take the lead through Rafael Crivellaro and Nerijus Valskis, but it was not to be.

Crivellaro let fly from close range early in the half, but Mohammad Nawaz was equal to it and pushed the ball away.

Valskis, on the other hand, guided a freekick around the wall and managed to strike the woodwork with a good effort.

For FC Goa, Manvir made his presence felt with runs down the middle as well as the right, but apart from one effort by Seriton Fernandes, Vishal Kaith was largely untroubled in the Chennaiyin goal.

The second half brought with it a different challenge, and it wasn’t long before the Marina Machans took the lead in the game.

Nawaz came out to punch a freekick away from the area, but central defender Lucian Goian beat the goalkeeper to the ball and headed it into the back of the net.

The first goal of the game may have come from a Goa mistake, but there was nothing Nawaz could do about the second goal that came just a few minutes later.

Anirudh Thapa fired the ball from all of 25 yards out, and his effort flew past Nawaz into the top corner to make it 2-0 to the home side.

The game was always going to be difficult for the Gaurs after the second went in, but there were chances to pull one back in the remaining time.

Instead of Goa scoring however, it was Chennaiyin who increased the misery for the travelling supporters as Eli Sabia stabbed home via a cross from Valskis and just moments later it was Lallianzuala Chhangte who calmly slotted past Nawaz to make it 4-0.

The shock of conceding four finally turned into desire for the Gaurs, and they pulled one back in the 85th minute as Saviour Gama reacted quickest after a deflection to poke home FC Goa’s first and only goal of the night.

Chennai managed the rest of the game smartly to see out the first leg and give their fans lots of hope with a 4-1 triumph in round one of this tie.

FC Goa have it all to do in the second leg at the Fatorda, but if anyone can, the Gaurs certainly can turn this one around.