PREVIEW: Confident Chennai to make it tough for Highlanders who need a win to kickstart season
THE ONLY THING going right for NorthEast United is the fan presence. The rest is in tatters for John Abraham's Guwahati-based franchise. They have lost all three of their matches till now, sitting at the bottom of the table with zero points to show for, looking at the unpleasant prospect of welcoming Chennaiyin FC and Atletico de Kolkata in back to back home games this week.
Chennaiyin FC, whom NEUFC entertain tonight, are a team running like a well-oiled machine, coming off two wins and looking to establish their presence in the top four.
The Highlanders manager Cesar Farias is understandably cautious before the match, which is a game that can either either trigger an emphatic comeback or throw the team further down the ditch,
“From the moment we started the pre-season, we started a resolution and work to be able to compete. And even though we haven't got the results that we expected, in life and football there are some adversities that you have to face. I think the team atmosphere is intact... we know there have been many positives and we're correcting the adversities that we had and are moving forward.”
A bit of a boost for NEUFC comes from the fact that their marquee winger, Simao Sabrosa, has finally recovered from the injury that kept him out since the start of the season. He may replace a hapless, out-of-position Diomansy Kamara in the left wing. There's a good chance the defence will see some rotation too, with Aiborlang Khongjee making his way into the team in the place of Zohmingliana Ralte, and maybe, an overworked Reagan Singh making way for Robin Gurung.
Last year, NorthEast United won this fixture by an emphatic 3-0 margin. But this time, Chennaiyin FC have found some deadly rhythm. After a combination of bad luck and starters' hiccups in the first two games, they absolutely controlled the matches against FC Goa and Mumbai City. The confidence oozed from their gameplay on Friday as they took the lead then slowed the game down to their liking to preserve energy for their travels.
They also boast a defender-terrorizing goal machine in the tournament so far in Stiven Mendoza, who with 5 goals to his name currently leads the ISL top scorers' list. But Chennaiyin coach Marco Materazzi is conscious not to let his team become a one-target-man army.
"We are not dependent on Mendoza only for goals. Elano scored eight last year, Balwant did good as well... I rate Jeje very highly but Jayesh also did well. Jayesh, whom we call Neymar, hit the woodwork a couple of times in the last match as you saw."
But Materazzi won't be in any hurry to change the winning combination at least for now. This is a franchise they have never won against. Last year, NEUFC were similarly struggling with their back against the wall, and they managed to overcome one of the best teams in the tournament, fuelled by a vocal home crowd at the Indira Gandhi Stadium. Farias will hope the same crowd will turn up tonight and push the team to go the extra mile,
"We are in debt to the supporters... there's nothing more motivational than seeing the people here in Guwahati. They love the team and football. They're passionate for it.”
One good win is all a team needs to completely change its attitude and aim higher. Chennaiyin FC themselves are a good example of that. So they have to be careful not to allow NorthEast United any room to write a great comeback story of their own tonight. Between two teams fighting to prove their worth, the battle is for every inch of the grass.
Probable Starting Line-Ups:
NorthEast United FC - Gennaro Bracigliano, Raju Gaikwad, Cedric Hengbart, Aiborlang Khongjee, Robin Gurung, Simao Sabrosa, Silas, Siam Hanghal, Sanju Pradhan, Nicolas Velez, Francis Dadzie
Chennaiyin FC - Apoula Edel, Lalhmangisanga Ralte, Alessandro Potenza, Mailson Alves, Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Harmanjot Khabra, Raphael Augusto, Reagan Singh, Elano, Stiven Mendoza, Jayesh Rane
