Marco Materazzi and his Chennaiyin FC team come into their third home game on the trot after a last gasp Elano penalty saw them rescue a point against league leaders Atlético de Kolkata in their previous outing. Elano, who has scored in every game in the tournament so far, leads the scoring charts and will be looking to further that lead with a good performance against NorthEast United FC. The Highlanders are coming off the back of a disappointing loss against FC Pune City when Dutchman John Goossens pounced in the 88th minute to score the winner. After a good start to their campaign, NorthEast have put in a couple of disappointing performances that has seen them fall down the league table. A win against second placed Chennaiyin will help with the confidence and boost their chances for qualification to the knockout stage, while the home side will look to close the gap to leaders Kolkata.Marco Materazzi vs Durga BoroItalian world cup winner, Marco Materazzi brings a wealth of European experience to the Chennaiyin defence along with Bernard Mendy and Mikaël Silvestre. Materazzi plays himself as a shield in front of the defence in this Chennai set up and with his incredible defensive ability and strength, he is a tough player to get past. With his new position, he is even able to link the defence with the midfield and begin counter-attacks. Young Indian attacking midfielder, Durga Boro who has impressed so far in the tournament, will be up against the former Internazionale man. Boro’s speed will be key to getting past the Italian and his willingness to take shots at goal from distance will be key for his side.John Stiven Mendoza vs Joan CapdevilaMendoza has shown his quality and worth to the Chennai team so far in the tournament. His searing runs at goal prompt his defenders to knock long balls forward for the striker to chase and he obliges. Having troubled Mumbai City FC with his pace and guile, Mendoza was much quieter against Atlético de Kolkata, but did manage to win the penalty that helped his team equalise. Facing world cup winner, Joan Capdevila will be a daunting task for the young Colombian. Capdevila has been the mainstay of the Highlanders’ campaign. His ability to command the defence and his positional awareness on the field are important for his team and he will be kept on his toes throughout the encounter.Elano Blumer vs Kondwani MtongaThe youngest of the marquee players, Elano has stamped his authority on the ISL so far. Having scored in every game of the tournament so far (all from set-pieces), Elano is way ahead of second placed Andre Moritz atop the scoring charts. His ability to get out of sticky situations with the ball and distribute it to his team mates makes him a dangerous customer. Not blessed with a turn of pace, Elano more than makes up for it with skill. The lanky Kondwani Mtonga will have the difficult job of keeping the Brazilian in check. Mtonga is a strong defensive midfielder and has already scored once in the tournament so far. He can break down play and convert defence to attack with consummate ease.Players to watchHarmanjot Khabra – The Indian was in good form against a strong Atlético de Kolkata side. Commanding the midfield alongside compatriot, Denson Devdas, Khabra got the ball forward time and again. His excellent turns on the edge of the area caused a few problems for the Kolkata back line. He will however, want to improve on his shooting accuracy.Koke – The Spanish man has been rather quiet in the past few games for NorthEast. He’s due a good game soon and he will want to get on the score sheet against Chennai. Koke has the ability to make good runs with and without the ball and has an eye for a pass. His distribution is excellent as well and is a good finisher.Team SpeakChennaiyin FCVivek Nagul (assistant coach): “We have a good bunch of players and we have been training fantastically. The morale is very high.”NorthEast United FCRicki Herbert (head coach): “We are the best passing team in the league.”
