After taking the Indian Super League by storm with his pace, Atletico de Kolkata’s Sameehg Doutie has yet again reminded us of his class in his second season in the country. The South African winger has played a crucial role in Atletico qualifying for the playoffs of the Indian Super League for the third year running.
His blistering pace and trickery on the wings have been there to see again. However, when up against Mumbai City FC, he feels that Kolkata’s quality and depth in their squad will be crucial at the Rabindra Sarovar on Saturday.
Shunning the idea of individual brilliance, he felt, the quality throughout the side and working together have been crucial to achieving their aim of finishing in the top four yet again.
"We have reached the semifinals not because of any individual but because the team combination was good," Doutie told reporters when asked which according to him would be a better combination between Helder Postiga and Juan Belencoso or Postiga and Iain Hume. "We have depth in the squad which has helped us till here."
Atletico attacking enough
Atletico de Kolkata have the dubious record of finishing the season with 8 draws this season. However, the fleet-footed winger brushed aside any allegation of the results being a manifestation of the team being too defensive.
He, in fact of dismissive of the results that have come so far, putting everything in the past as something that the team are not concerned about.
"We have the opportunity to go to the final. We have now made three semi-finals. The draws are not a concern. The aim was to reach here and we have done that.
“Now we have to think of the knockouts which is a completely different ball game.The people of Kolkata have to support us. We have to believe we can go all the way."
Playing at home first gives no disadvantage
Like coach Jose Molina, Doutie also believes playing at home first does not make any difference.
"It doesn't make a difference whether we are playing home or away first. The first game is always very important. This is the game where we have to give everything, and then you can think of the second leg," Doutie asserted.
However, with draws not a reality anymore, Doutie and Kolkata must be at their aggressive best to beat arguably one of the best teams this season in Mumbai.
