Sullivan Noronha
sullivan@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Chennaiyin FC handed host FC Goa a 4-0 defeat with Colombian striker Stiven Mendoza scoring only the second hat-trick in the history of the league. Head coach Marco Materazzi was a happy man at the post-match press conference as he addressed the media.
Praising his team’s attitude, he said, “We started with the right attitude and we managed to keep up that attitude throughout the game. That’s why we managed to get such an emphatic result.”
After a poor start, Materazzi stressed on the fact that he has built this team and has quality players in his ranks.
“Today, we had the right balance between attack and defence. We held on to the ball and managed to pass it around well. We were compact and kept the opposition out of our box as much as possible and restricted them to long shots,” he explained.
Elano picked up from where he left off last season. The brilliant Brazilian seemed back to his best with a stupendous performance from midfield. The coach showered compliments on the marquee player, saying, “It is my job to judge the physical condition of Elano. I watch him at training and work closely with him. Today, he showed why he’s such a champion player.”
Zico’s decision to substitute Romeo Fernandes at half-time drew some criticism from a few quarters but Materazzi asserted that it is easy to judge when people don’t know what happens inside the camp.
“I respect his decision. You never know what happens behind the scenes. Lucio, for example started his third match in a row and the effect showed. You have to respect a coach’s decision,” said the Italian.
Chennaiyin finally managed to get their first win of the tournament and the management and players dedicated the win to Amitabh Bachchan, father of co-owner Abhishek Bachchan.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better result on his birthday. This win is dedicated to Big B,” Materazzi said.
