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#2 Badara Badji vs Mumbai City FC
Delhi Dynamos FC had started their season well, defeating defending champions Chennaiyin FC away 3-1. Playing an attacking brand of football with possession and slick passing, the Gianluca Zambrotta-coached side faced Mumbai City FC for their first home game on 18th October.
Playing a tactically changed side, Delhi Dynamos could not get their finishing right in the first half. Krisztian Vadocz, the Hungarian central midfielder, made most of the error-prone Delhi defence, which was in its early days. Vadocz punished the home team with two goals in the first half, dismantling them completely.
While Mumbai went down the tunnel dominating the score-sheet, Delhi Dynamos coach Gianluca Zambrotta had other plans. Zambrotta threw in Senegalese striker Badara Badji in place of Brazilian midfielder Memo, giving his team the much needed extra intensity in attack. While Delhi had fought back to 2-1 with a Richard Gadze goal, Sony Norde was still firing on all cylinders for the visitors, making a comeback for the home team unlikely.
The introduction of Badji, though, changed the situation altogether. Mumbai played Anwar Ali and Lucian Goian at the back and thus it was difficult for the diminutive Richard Gadze to operate in or around the box. With Badji’s presence, Gadze, Malouda and Marcelinho looked different. The troika played in between the lines and supported the striker well, who was willing to give his all for the side.
Against the run of play but with a brilliant move, Haitian Mohun Bagan star Sony Norde made it 3-1, making it look impossible for the home team to return. However, there was still some fightback left in the home team. The audience saw brilliant attacking intent from the Dynamos then with Badji scoring in the 76th minute and winning a penalty, which was duly converted by Brazilian winger Marcelinho, taking the score to 3-3.
The match has been touted by many as one of the best in the history of the Indian Super League and the attacking waves caused by the Delhi side in the second half was brilliant football on display.
