NorthEast United FC finally broke the “away” jinx in the 2015 Hero Indian Super League with their 1-0 win against defending champions Atlético de Kolkata on Saturday and coach Cesar Farias was pleased as punch.

“Atletico de Kolkata is a strong team. I analysed their game, their strengths, their form, their wing play. They are very good at defending,” he told reporters at the Salt Lake Stadium after the match.

With the win, the Highlanders did the double over the defending champions as they had won the home game too earlier in the season, by the same margin. Farias was proud of the feat.

“Kolkata has a team that has a great coach, a great coaching staff, a great group of players, a great stadium atmosphere and a lot of passionate fans. They are the reigning champions, so anybody will be motivated to play against them. Gaining six points against them was not like a gift, it had to have some merit.”

NorthEast moved up to seventh with their third win this season and Farias didn’t want to get carried away. “The Indian Super League is full of intensity. The past is past; now the focus is on the next game,” the Venezuelan said.

Farias started with Simao Sabrosa and Nicolas Velez on Saturday. In the previous games, the duo mostly came off the bench in the second half. Farias explained his change of strategy with the two players. “Football is about strategy. Sometimes it is a surprise. It is about moments and making the best use of player rotations. Football is like playing a game of chess,” he said.

Meanwhile, ATK coach Antonio Lopez Habas refused to talk about his team’s dwindling semi-final chances after the fourth defeat this season and said they needed to look ahead to their next game against Kerala Blasters FC on Tuesday. “I don’t want to talk about the semis, I want to concentrate on the next game,” a disappointed Habas said.