NorthEast United FC need a win to boost their 2015 Hero Indian Super League semi-final chances when they play Delhi Dynamos FC at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday. With 17 points from 12 matches and just two more matches to go for them in the league stage, the Highlanders can’t afford to lose because if they do their chances will take a severe battering. Delhi Dynamos FC, who have 18 points from 11 matches, on the other hand, are in a much better position since they have two more matches to play after the game on Saturday. They wouldn’t even mind a draw. However, a win will almost put them into the semis.Form Guide (Last 5 matches)NorthEast United FC: W-W-L-W-DDelhi Dynamos FC: D-D-D-W-LHead-to-Head: Out of the three matches so far, Delhi Dynamos FC have won one while two have ended in a draw. Last year, after a goalless draw in Delhi, the Lions travelled to Guwahati and registered a 2-1 win. Earlier this year, both teams featured in a 1-1 draw in Delhi.Cedric Hengbart vs Florent MaloudaFlorent Malouda had an average outing for Delhi Dynamos FC in their last game against Chennaiyin FC and he will definitely look to return to form against the Highlanders on Saturday. Overall, the French midfielder has been the most important player for the Lions this season. He has provided six assists so far which speaks volumes. NorthEast, desperate to win, can’t afford to let Malouda have a good day at the office. They will need Cedric Hengbart to tame the dangerous Malouda. Not only that, Hengbart can also initiate deadly counter-attacks. The Malouda-Hengbart match-up is definitely mouth-watering.Simao vs ChicaoWhile Malouda is hogging all the limelight for the Lions, it’s Chicao who is doing all the dirty work and keeping the opposition at bay. Most Delhi attacks begin with him and most attacks by the opposition are checked by him. His performance on Saturday will influence the outcome of the match a great deal. Simao, on the other hand, has been in great form of late since returning to full fitness. With three goals and two assists, he is the man NorthEast look to in their hour of need. It was his brilliant free-kick earlier this season that stopped Delhi from taking three points from their home match.Victor Mendy vs John Arne RiiseRiise has not been very far from Chicao in terms of contribution. The strong defender has been one of the reasons behind Delhi’s great work at the back. Until their 4-0 defeat against Chennaiyin FC, they were unarguably the meanest defence. With things really hotting up at this stage of the league, expect Riise to move on from his bad day against the Super Machans and inspire the Lions back to their impregnability. The Norwegian will face plenty of threat from Victor Mendy, NorthEast’s late replacement for Boubacar Sanogo. The Senegalese forward scored only in his second match, against FC Goa earlier this week and he will look to add to his tally against the Lions on Saturday.Quotes:This is a great opportunity in front of us but as we said we take one game at a time. First we think about the game vs Delhi. It’s a final for us, we have two finals coming up but Delhi is the more important final at the moment: NorthEast United FC head coach Cesar FariasObviously, now we only have three games before the semis. The good thing is that some teams have fewer games than us so this is a little bit of an advantage for our side: Delhi Dynamos FC marquee player-cum-coach Roberto CarlosSquads:NorthEast United FC: Aiborlang Khongjee, Robin Gurung, Boithang Haokip, Alen Deory, Rehenesh Thumbirumbu Paramba, Sanju Pradhan, Hali Charan Narzary, Seityasen Singh, Lalthuammawia Ralte, Siam Hanghal, Raju Yumnam, Reagan Singh , Marlangki Suting, Zohmingliana Ralte, Carlos Javier Lopez, Andre Bikey, Gennaro Bracigliano, Simao Pedro Da Fonseca Sabrosa (Marquee Player), Bruno Herrero Arias, Diomansy Mehdi Moustapha Kamara, Jorge Manuel Rebelo Fernandes, Cedric Alain Hervine Hengbart, Nicolas Leandro Velez, Francis Dadzie, Victor MendyDelhi Dynamos FC: Antonio Doblas Santana, Sanjiban Ghosh, Ishan Debnath, Thokchom Naoba Singh, Prabir Das, Roberto Carlos [marquee], John Arne Riise, Robert Lalthlamuana, Anas Edathodika, Anwar Ali, Anderson Sebastiao Cardoso [Chicao], Shylo Malsawmtluanga [Mama]. Sehnaj Singh, Souvik Chakraborty, Hans Mulder, Serginho Greene, Zodingliana Tochhawng, Gunasekhar Vignesh, Florent Malouda, Gustavo dos Santos Marmentini, Seminlen Doungel, Robin Singh, Richard Gadze, Adil Nabi, Vinicius Ferreira de Souza
