The long-awaited moment for Delhi Dynamos FC players and fans came in the 53rd minute of their final game of the season. Down 2-0 to league leaders Chennaiyin FC in a game they could not afford to lose, up stepped marquee player Alessandro Del Piero. The Juventus legend has dazzled in patches over the course of Delhi’s campaign, with neat touches and clever flicks along with flashes of his brilliant vision, but had yet to truly dominate a game the way he can. Here, with his team’s semi-final hopes in the balance, he stood behind the ball at a set piece, as he has done so many times before.The trademark Del Piero free kick fizzed past Chennaiyin keeper Gennaro Bracigliano and rustled into the net, the Italian’s first goal in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) serving as a catalyst for Delhi’s remarkable comeback.“It was a very important game for us today,” Del Piero told indiansuperleague.com in an exclusive post-match interview. “I’m happy to score.”The turnaround was completed when captain Hans Mulder’s stunning long-range shot levelled the scores in the 88th minute, and Delhi nearly snatched a win when Brazilian wizard Gustavo dos Santos hit a curler from outside the box, only to be denied by the post.Del Piero was full of praise for his team’s second-half performance, saying, “It was amazing, what we did in the second half! We were away from home against Chennai, who are first in the table, and we were 2-0 down. We came back to make it 2-2 and we had a chance to score the winner with (Gustavo) dos Santos who hit the post. He’s been amazing.”The result, coupled with Kerala Blasters’ win over Pune City in the day’s second game, means Delhi now need help from FC Goa in their game against Atlético de Kolkata if they are to make the semi-finals. Del Piero acknowledged that the qualification scenario was looking tough for his side, despite their comeback. “Unfortunately, we didn’t win, and this could be a problem.”Del Piero won eight Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, and one UEFA Champions League title, along with the 2006 FIFA World Cup with Italy, so there are few better people to judge the quality of the ISL, which has been a huge success in its first season. The 40-year-old was enthusiastic about his experience. “It’s much more competitive than the other leagues, because it’s for three months. There’s big potential here, and it’s a big first step,” the Italian said.Chennai fans were treated to a unique sight as Del Piero duelled with old nemesis and former AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta, a resumption of the fierce Juventus-Milan rivalry that the two players experienced during their time in Italy. Nesta, who has just joined the Chennaiyin squad, and Del Piero were teammates for the national side, both being part of Italy’s triumphant 2006 World Cup campaign. Del Piero revelled in the experience of once again facing his rival.“We talked a lot during the game! He’s an incredible guy and he’s a true champion. I’m happy for the Chennai fans,” he concluded.
