Returning to FC Pune City’s dug-out from a four-game suspension carrying over from the last season, head coach Antonio Habas cut a satisfied figure following his side’s 1-1 draw against defending champions Chennaiyin FC at the Sree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium in Balewadi on Sunday evening. Jeje Lalpekhlua put Chennaiyin ahead in the 28 minute but Anibal Rodriguez converted a free-kick eight minutes from full time to save Pune’s blushes in front of over 9,000 home fans.

“I am not happy with one point. But I am very happy with the performance of the team. They behaved like I wanted them to,” Habas told reporters after the match.

“Chennai are the champions of last season. Pune haven’t reached the semi-finals yet but today Pune played like champions and we were better. The score was 1-1 and Chennai is a good team but Pune was a lot better.”

For Chennaiyin, Jeje returned to the Super Machans starting line-up and scored a breath-taking goal. After outmuscling Eduardo Ferreira to win a long ball, Jeje noticed goalkeeper Edel Bete slightly off his line and came up with an audacious lob from outside the area to beat the Armenian goalkeeper and put his side ahead. When asked to comment on Jeje’s effort, Habas said: “We made one mistake in 90 minutes and they scored. We made more chances than Chennai. We make a mistake and we go a goal down. I also think that Jeje created a foul on Eduardo but I only think, maybe it is. I have not seen the replay yet.”

Habas also admitted his team needed to score from open play more often to enhance their chances in the league. With five points from five matches, including just two from four home games, Pune City now travel to New Delhi to play Delhi Dynamos FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on October 27.