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Ironies never cease in football. After the smooth sailing to the top of the table and then consolidating the team further with the addition of Italian international Alessandro Nesta, as also the return of main man Elano Blumer, no one would have imagined that Chennaiyin FC would be in the position as it is.
After the big 0-3 loss to Kerala Blasters FC in the first leg of the double-legged semi-finals, Chennaiyin are on the verge of being eliminated from the inaugural Hero Indian Super League (ISL). What should be worrying the team management is not just the defeat but the margin.
Surely, nobody would like to be in the boots of the Chennaiyin head coach Marco Materazzi at this juncture for such are the odds that he faces. Statistics can be soothing. Particularly the fact that the Chennai team has lost only one home match till date. Then again, like the Blasters in Kochi, Chennaiyin FC will not be short of support from the galleries.
There is much homework to be done for Materazzi. As he observed about that semi-final game, “I think we had chances in the first 20 minutes at 0-0. Then Kerala Blasters started playing well,” he admitted.
The former Italian defender talked about self belief and said the team needed that the most now if it has to reverse the verdict in the next game. “It is a good result for Kerala and we have a lot to do, especially because the third goal in the end makes it even more difficult for us. But it is important to believe in ourselves and try to fight back,” said the 2006 World Cupper. “Nothing is impossible in football, but it will be important not to concede in Chennai. The first half will be very important and we will have to take our chances.”
One thing is clear. The onus will be on Chennaiyin if it has to make things happen. Elano Blumer has to get back his striking boots after returning from an injury break. Nesta never looked the rock he used to be. Jeje Lalpekhlua too looked off-colour on the night. Then again, Chennaiyin also had to contend with superb keeping by Sandip Nandy. Blasters’ player-manager David James could not have asked for more.
Yet Chennaiyin have 90 minutes to turn it around. As striker Jeje expressed, “Of course, it’s football, so anything can happen. We have a strong squad and we can beat Kerala in the next match.”
It is on that thin thread that Chennaiyin’s run for honours in the ISL hangs.
