ISL 2015: Zico calls for Goal Line Technology, Marco Materazzi praises Elano after 4-0 win

Zico’s FC Goa side lost 4-0 to Chennaiyin FC (Image courtesy of ISL)

FC Goa lost 4-0 to Chennaiyin FC and head coach Zico stressed on the fact that goal-line technology should play an important part in football regardless of the outcome of the match. Zico was referring to Sabeeth’s 82nd minute effort which bounced inside the goal-line before coming out and play continued as the goal was not awarded.

“The Sabeeth goal didn’t influence anything because we were losing 4-0. But because of that I completely favour technology in football. It doesn’t matter if it is 4-0 or 5-0,” Zico said.

“If it is a goal, then it is a goal. So I think it is my point of view that it would be good for football if we use technology,” Zico emphasized about the need for technology in football.

“Imagine if the result was 0-0 and something happens like that then it will change the result of the game. Because of this, the way that we are living, technology cannot be out of football. It should be helping football,” he further added.

Goal-line technology was implemented at the FIFA 2014 World Cup and has also been introduced in the English Premier League, but it is yet to reach all the levels of the game.

Zico also added that his team were not able to implement what they trained and were made to pay for it.

“Fortunately we couldn’t give everything we practice. The goals they scored were the areas we practiced during training,” Zico rued.

“Our team allowed Elano to control the game and he continuously gave through balls to Mendoza. But what is important is we have to raise our heads up. Carry on doing our work. But the ones that beat us are behind us in the table. So we have to keep doing our work.

“Last year we had like three games and we had just one point but this year we have four points from three games so there is a long way to go,” the Brazilian tactician said.

Elano showed he is a champion: Materazzi

Marco Materazzi’s Chennaiyin FC got their first win of the season (Image courtesy of ISL)

Meanwhile, Chennaiyin manager Marco Materazzi was happy with his team’s performance in a game where Stiven Mendoza and Elano were the star players. And the Italian coach praised the influence of the Brazilian in the victory.

There were concerns about Elano's form this season and there were some suggestions that the Brazilian was suffering from fatigue and a loss of form. The coach, however, made it clear about who was best to make that call.

“I'm the one who judges the physical form or the physical fitness of Elano and not anybody else. Today I think he showed us that he is a real champion because he created chances three or four times to score and yes he showed us what he's made of and what a champion he is," the Italian coach said.

Elano silenced all his critics and doubters with an emphatic performance and the coach believes it was only a matter of time before they started getting the results.

Elano was instrumental in Chennaiyin FC’s win (Image courtesy of ISL)

"In the second half in Delhi, probably we deserved to score, maybe what was missing in the previous game was the right distances between attack, midfield and defence. Today (Sunday) we had that and we didn't let them play very much.”

The manager also made a remark about Zico's decision to field Lucio for a third consecutive game while adding that he respected the manager's decision.

"I have great respect for Zico's decisions. It is very easy to look from the outside and judge. Lucio played three games in a row and he came out because he was tired. So the one who has to judge and make the decision is the trainer," he said.

Chennai have registered their first points after setting the record of winning a match by the highest margin in the ISL.