# 2016 Chennaiyin FC season

The 2016 Chennaiyin FC season was the club's third season since its establishment in 2014 and their third season in the Indian Super League.

## Background

Going into the 2015 ISL season, Chennaiyin retained their head coach, Marco Materazzi, as well as the core of their playing squad with players such as Jeje Lalpekhlua, Balwant Singh, Jayesh Rane, Bernard Mendy, and marquee Elano returning for a second season. They began their season on 3 October 2015, hosting their first match of the ISL season against defending champions Atlético de Kolkata. Despite goals from Lalpekhlua and Elano, Chennaiyin lost the match 3–2. Despite a slow start to the season, Chennaiyin soon entered the finals, finishing the season in third place.
In the semi-finals, Chennaiyin FC took on Atlético de Kolkata. In the first leg of the round, Chennaiyin came out as 3–0 winners after goals from Bruno Pelissari, Jeje Lalpekhlua, and Stiven Mendoza. Despite losing the second leg 2–1, Chennaiyin went through to the finals 4–2 on aggregate.
During the final, Chennaiyin took on Goa at the Fatorda Stadium. They took a 1–0 lead in the beginning of the second half from Bruno Pelissari before Goa came back to lead 2–1 going into stoppage time. However, an own goal from Goa goalkeeper, Laxmikant Kattimani, and a goal from Mendoza from a defensive mistake lead to Chennaiyin winning to Indian Super League.

## Player movement
### Squad

    As of 18 September 2016.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | IND | Karanjit Singh |
| 2 | DF | BRA | Éder |
| 3 | DF | IND | Nallappan Mohanraj |
| 4 | MF | NED | Hans Mulder (3rd captain) |
| 5 | DF | FRA | Bernard Mendy (captain) |
| 6 | DF | NOR | John Arne Riise |
| 7 | MF | IND | Harmanjot Khabra |
| 8 | MF | ITA | Manuele Blasi |
| 9 | FW | ITA | Davide Succi |
| 10 | FW | IND | Jayesh Rane |
| 11 | MF | IND | Thoi Singh |
| 12 | FW | IND | Jeje Lalpekhlua |
| 13 | DF | BRA | Eli Sabiá |
| 15 | DF | IND | Abhishek Das |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | FW | IND | Daniel Lalhlimpuia |
| 17 | MF | IND | Dhanpal Ganesh |
| 18 | MF | IND | Siam Hanghal |
| 19 | MF | BRA | Raphael Augusto |
| 20 | FW | ITA | Maurizio Peluso |
| 21 | FW | IND | Uttam Rai |
| 22 | MF | IND | Zakeer Mundampara |
| 25 | DF | IND | Dhanachandra Singh |
| 26 | DF | IND | Mehrajuddin Wadoo (vice captain) |
| 27 | GK | JAM | Duwayne Kerr |
| 28 | GK | IND | Pawan Kumar |
| 33 | FW | IND | Baljit Sahni |
| 43 | DF | IND | Jerry Lalrinzuala |
| 99 | FW | NGA | Dudu Omagbemi |

### Technical staff

| Position | Name |
| Head coach | Marco Materazzi |
| Performance Analyst | Franco Pasqualetti |
| Assistant coach | Syed Sabir Pasha |
| Goalkeeping coach | Francesco Franzese |
| Consultant | Pratham Basu |
| Physiotherapist | Manoj Muthu |

## Transfers

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |

## Indian Super League

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 4 | Atlético de Kolkata (C) | 14 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 14 | +2 | 20 | Advance to ISL Play-offs |
| 5 | NorthEast United | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 18 | |
| 6 | Pune City | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 16 | −3 | 16 | |
| 7 | Chennaiyin | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 25 | −5 | 15 | |
| 8 | Goa | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 25 | −10 | 14 | |

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: October 2016. Source: Matches

### Matches

Win  Draw  Loss

## Squad statistics
### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Indian Super League | Indian Super League |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | IND | Karanjit Singh | 9 | 0 | 9+0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | BRA | Éder | 2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | IND | Nallappan Mohanraj | 1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | NED | Hans Mulder | 12 | 2 | 11+1 | 2 |
| 5 | DF | FRA | Bernard Mendy | 12 | 2 | 11+1 | 2 |
| 6 | DF | NOR | John Arne Riise | 10 | 1 | 7+3 | 1 |
| 7 | MF | IND | Harmanjot Khabra | 6 | 0 | 3+3 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ITA | Manuele Blasi | 6 | 0 | 4+2 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | ITA | Davide Succi | 13 | 3 | 9+4 | 3 |
| 10 | FW | IND | Jayesh Rane | 8 | 1 | 6+2 | 1 |
| 11 | MF | IND | Thoi Singh | 2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 12 | FW | IND | Jeje Lalpekhlua | 9 | 3 | 7+2 | 3 |
| 13 | DF | BRA | Eli Sabiá | 11 | 0 | 10+1 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | IND | Abhishek Das | 1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | IND | Daniel Lalhlimpuia | 3 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | IND | Siam Hanghal | 10 | 0 | 7+3 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | BRA | Raphael Augusto | 14 | 0 | 12+2 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | ITA | Maurizio Peluso | 3 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 21 | FW | IND | Uttam Rai | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | IND | Zakeer Mundampara | 5 | 0 | 5+0 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | IND | Mehrajuddin Wadoo | 13 | 1 | 13+0 | 1 |
| 27 | GK | JAM | Duwayne Kerr | 5 | 0 | 5+0 | 0 |
| 33 | FW | IND | Baljit Sahni | 8 | 0 | 6+2 | 0 |
| 42 | MF | IND | Anirudh Thapa | 1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 43 | DF | IND | Jerry Lalrinzuala | 13 | 1 | 11+2 | 1 |
| 99 | FW | NGA | Dudu Omagbemi | 13 | 5 | 7+6 | 5 |

### Goal scorers

| S.No. | Position | Number | Name | Goals |
| 1 | FW | 99 | Dudu Omagbemi | 5 |
| 2 | FW | 12 | Jeje Lalpekhlua | 3 |
| 2 | FW | 9 | Davide Succi | 3 |
| 4 | MF | 4 | Hans Mulder | 2 |
| 4 | DF | 5 | Bernard Mendy | 2 |
| 6 | FW | 10 | Jayesh Rane | 1 |
| 6 | DF | 26 | Mehrajuddin Wadoo | 1 |
| 6 | DF | 42 | Jerry Lalrinzuala | 1 |
| 6 | DF | 6 | John Arne Riise | 1 |
| | | | Total | 19 |

### Disciplinary record

| Number | Position | Name | | |
| 4 | MF | Hans Mulder | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Bernard Mendy | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | John Arne Riise | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | DF | Harmanjot Khabra | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Manuele Blasi | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Davide Succi | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | Jayesh Rane | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Siam Hanghal | 3 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | Raphael Augusto | 2 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | Maurizio Peluso | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | Mehrajuddin Wadoo | 2 | 0 |
| 43 | DF | Jerry Lalrinzuala | 2 | 0 |
| 99 | FW | Dudu Omagbemi | 1 | 0 |
| | | Total | 20 | 0 |