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NorthEast United scripted a spectacular fightback to beat Chennaiyin FC 4-3 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Thursday evening in the Indian Super League.
Twice they were down two goals, at 0-2 and then at 1-3, but Eelco Schattorie’s side refused to give in and turned the game around with an inspired performance that gave them their second win of the season.
Bartholomew Ogbeche scored a hat-trick in a first half that saw six goals scored, 3 from either side. Rowllin Borges then grabbed the game-winner in the second half.
Despite the fantastic win though NorthEast coach Schattorie was fuming at the post-match press conference for what he felt was an unfair handicap that was handed to his side.
“I am actually quite upset first up. Yesterday we came to know that our goalkeeper (TP Rehenesh) was suspended and would not be available for the game. That was very unfair to know such a thing less than 24 hours before a game. There is not enough time to prepare for such a thing.”
On Wednesday evening NorthEast United FC first-choice keeper Rehenesh was indefinitely suspended for a violent act that he’d committed during the Highlanders’ last match versus ATK. Pawan Kumar replaced him in the lineup for the game against Chennaiyin.
Coming to the game, Schattorie was asked about the start, where his side fell 0-2 down inside 15 minutes.
“Their first goal was a set-piece. We had prepared for it, but again, our keeper is new and did not do well in that situation due to lack of preparation. The second goal was an organizational mistake and the third goal, I don’t’ know how the ball went in. It was like a pinball machine”, said Schattorie.
“We were two goals down not because they were that good or that aggressive, but more because of our mistakes”, added Schattorie.
The Dutchman revealed that he had analyzed the weaknesses of Chennaiyin which helped NorthEast score the goals they did in the match.
“I had three points which I mentioned to the boys before the match. One was that we had to score two goals. That if we score two, we would have a good chance of winning the game. Second was to dominate the ball and play football, not just sit back. The third was to exploit the weaknesses we had discussed. We scored two goals today from analyzing the wings of Chennaiyin.”
Schattorie had praised Ogbeche ahead of the game yesterday and again had words of praise for his captain after his hat-trick.
“As I said yesterday, he is an extension of me on the pitch as the captain. He knows how to control the players and how to speak to them in different situations. Today he scored three very good goals as well, so he did everything very well”, concluded Schattorie.
