Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
Related Articles
Delhi Dynamos FC are set to face Atletico de Kolkata tonight in their third away match of the 2016 Indian Super League campaign. The match will be played at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium in Kolkata. The Lions will be hoping to record a victory after earning three consecutive draws on the trot in the last three games.
Coming off a superb counter-attacking performance against the Mumbai City FC in the last game, Delhi Dynamos coach Gianluca Zambrotta will be hoping to continue the momentum in the league. The team trailed 0-2 at half-time but staged a fight back to a 3-3 draw at the final whistle, courtesy to goals from Richard Gadze, Badara Badji and Marcelinho.
Atletico de Kolkata sit at the fourth position on the rankings table with six points from four games, just behind the Lions on goal difference. The Jose Molina side have won one and drawn three of their games and can be a tricky customer at home. With key players rested in the last game, Zambrotta would be expecting his side to come out all guns blazing and win the three points at stake.
Delhi Dynamos have a brilliant record against the champions of ISL-1. Having played four matches in the past, the Kolkata side has been defeated once and drew three times, never managing to win over the Dynamos. This stat bodes well for the away team and that might give them a psychological edge over their rivals.
Speaking on the upcoming game, Delhi Dynamos head coach Gianluca Zambrotta said, “Atletico de Kolkata is a very good team, they play very well and it will not be an easy match for either side. It will be a very balanced game.”
Talking about his coaching stint with the Dynamos, Zambrotta said, “I thought it was a very good opportunity and I didn’t think one second before coming here. The ISL has become very competitive in a very short time and I didn’t take too much time to decide.”
The best positive of the game was the link-up play between Richard Gadze and Badara Badji in the late second half, when they fought well and got the onto the score-sheet to share the spoils. Zambrotta lauded the reaction from his boys in his post-match comments, stating, “About the score, it was a difficult situation because we were trailing 1-3. It was important for us to have a good match and fortunately the reaction from the players was very good. So, I am very happy about the match, about the draw. It is no problem because we just started. We have played only four matches. So, we have enough time to play in the best way.”
The coach has specified that the changes in the game against Mumbai City FC were more tactical and rotational, than due to any injury concerns. Zambrotta said, “We don’t have any specific injuries, it was just tactical. The Championship is very long and we have to play every three days. So, I prefer just to rotate.”
With the journey long and tiring, credits must be given to the gaffer for rotating and giving adequate rest to his players.
The coach would except his players to respond and rise to the occasion and win the next one tonight to garner a crucial away win. Delhi Dynamos FC get a five day layoff after the next game, facing Pune City FC at home on October 27. With a scintillating performance in the last game, the coach would be hoping to bring smiles to the fans with a victory over the strong Kolkata side.
