'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Delhi Dynamos FC beat NorthEast United FC 2-1 to move up to seventh position in the league table. As expected, both the teams attacked fiercely as they were desperate to earn three points from this game.
Brazilian striker Gustavo Dos Santos’ brilliant long ranger and an assist assured 3 crucial points for Harm van Veldhoven’s team at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati.
Dynamos start off in attacking vein
Delhi Dynamos started the game on an attacking note as Harm Van Veldhoven organized the team in an attacking 4-3-3 formation. Brazilian striker Gustavo Dos Santos started on the right wing and Shylo Malsawmtluanga on the left. Francisco Fernandes who is a right-winger, surprisingly started as front striker.
Both the teams adopted an attacking style of play from the very beginning of the match. Delhi’s Gustavo broke the deadlock as early as in the 6th minute when he scored from a brilliant long ranger. Dos Santos got the ball from Francis Fernades on the right wing. He dribbled past one defender and curled a brilliant shot.
Just after the goal, NorthEast had the best chance in the match to equalize when Koke hit the post from a one on one situation with Kristof Van Hout. Delhi’s center back Henrique Dinis’ back pass was met by Koke who dribbled passed Kristof with ease but failed to find the target from very close proximity.
NorthEast United was punished heavily due to Koke’s missed chance as Hans Mulder netted the second goal from Dos Santos’ assist in the 14th minute. After the goal Delhi Dynamos played a more defensive game and NorthEast remained the more dominant side for the next 30 minutes.
Delhi got a jolt at the end of the first half when their defensive midfielder Souvik Chakraborty was given the marching orders due to double booking.
Dynamos manage to hold on to thin lead
As expected Delhi Dynamos took a defensive strategy in the second half as they were a man down and ahead by two goals. While NorthEast United dominated the entire second half, Delhi were mostly dependent on counter attacks. Van Veldhoven even fielded an extra defender in the name of Stijen Houben in place of Bruno Herrero in the 57th minute.
Ricki Herbert, on the other hand, shifted to a more attacking formation of 4-3-3 introducing English striker Kames Keene upfront. Herbert’s attacking strategy paid off as Kondwani Mtonga found one goal with a header from Koke’s corner.
NorthEast United got plenty of opportunities in the entire second half, but they were wasteful. In the last minute of the added time, Colombian forward Luis Padilla missed the easiest chance when he failed to convert a tap in from the six yards box.
The win helped Delhi Dynamos to climb up a spot to seventh position while NorthEast United FC climbed down to the bottom of the table. With immense competition in the league, anything is still possible. Both the teams performed well today and can still hope to qualify to the semi-finals.
