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Chennaiyin FC are assured at least second place in the first phase of the ISL, and they host a Delhi Dynamos side, for whom a win will assure safe passage into the semifinals.
Delhi will be high on confidence, as they look to extend their unbeaten run en route to extending their stay in the competition. Manager Harm van Veldhoven said that the side is in good spirits, and that they would take confidence from their recent run of form.
For Chennai, Marco Materazzi has called on his players to show that they are a top team. He said, "A top team never loses two in a row. We have to show tomorrow, that we are a top team."
Venue and Kickoff
Despite concerns at the beginning of the tournament, the pitch at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium has held up remarkably well, and it has seen some exciting action as well. Chennai fell to their first home loss in the previous game against FC Goa, and the table toppers will be itching to set the record straight in their last league game at home, in the knoowledge that they will be back on home turf for the second leg of their semifinal clash.
Kickoff Time – 7pm IST
Probable Starting XIs:
Chennaiyin FC (4-4-2 Diamond): Shilton Paul, Jairo Suarez, Alessandro Nesta, Mikael Silvestre, Dhanachandra Singh, Bojan Djordjic, Harmanjot Khabra, Denson Devadas, Cristian Hidalgo, Jean Eudes Maurice, Jayesh Rane
Chennai manager Materazzi all but confirmed that although he was back with the side, Elano wouldn’t feature tomorrow. For Materazzi, it would be the logical decision to not use Elano and Bernard Mendy for any part in this match, as both of them sit perilously on three yellow cards in the tournament so far, and one more booking for either would mean a suspension from the first leg of the semifinal.
Materazzi has a full squad to choose from, and it is more than likely that he hands an ISL debut to Italian legend Alessandro Nesta. Materazzi heaped praise on his former Italian team-mate, calling him one of the best defenders ever. Also, it would be the logical decision to give Nesta a run out rather than throwing him on straight in the semifinals.
Also, Materazzi could take this opportunity to rest Jeje Lalpekhlua and Balwant Singh ahead of the semifinals, as the two strikers have put in a shift everytime they have got on the pitch, and would love some much needed rest to arrive fresh for the semifinals.
Delhi Dynamos (4-3-3): Kristof van Hout, Adil Khan, Anwar Ali, Stijn Houben, Shouvik Ghosh, Bruno Herrero Arias, Hans Mulder, Shylo Malsawmtluanga, Francis Ferndandes, Morten Skoubo, Mads Junker
Delhi were seemingly dealt a huge blow, as inspirational Brazilian winger Gustavo dos Santos limped out at the beginning of their training this evening and took no further part in the session. If he does not recover in time, Morten Skoubo could be given a start. In the absence of Delhi’s leading scorer, a lot of the responsibilty will have to be shouldered by Mads Junker, who has led the line fantastically, and has been instrumental in Delhi’s resurgence.
van Veldhoven knows that his team will have to go all out, and show desperation to get the three points. Delhi are aware that if they get anything less than a win, they will be at the mercy of other teams, and that is never a good position to be in.
Key Battles
Harmanjot Khabra vs Hans Mulder
After he missed Chennai’s first game in the league, Khabra has been an ever-present in the Chennai outfit. He has shown his versatility by playing both in midfield, and at the full back positions. Wherever he has played, one thing Khabra has shown in abundance is burning desire. He has never stopped running, and with a bit more composure, he could have easily had a few more goals and assists. Chennai will want Khabra doing all that again, as they will be up against one among the league’s top midfielders in Mulder. In the last few games, Mulder has pulled the strings diligently in midfield, and that has enabled the likes of Gustavo, Junker and Francis Fernandes to express themselves further forward.
Mikael Silvestre vs Mads Junker
Junker is a stereotypical fox in the box, and will be instrumental in everything Delhi do going forward. Against Junker will be a wily old fox in Silvestre. Silvestre has definitely lost a yard of pace, but his sense of positioning and reading of the game still ensures that he is an asset to his side. It will be a fascinating battle, as Junker looks to put Delhi on their way to the semifinals, but SIlvestre, maybe in the presence of Alessandro Nesta, looks to ward that threat off.
Prediction
Delhi have it all to do, and Chennai would love a win to take momentum into the semifinals. It should be an engaging duel, and I’m tipping Chennai to nick it by the odd goal in three.
Chennaiyin FC 2-1 Delhi Dynamos
