NorthEast United FC will be looking to keep their perfect home record in the 2016 Hero Indian Super League intact when they host defending champions Chennaiyin FC at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on Thursday. The Highlanders boast two wins from two at home having beaten Kerala Blasters FC 1-0 in the season opener and FC Goa 2-0 three days later.

Head coach Nelo Vingada, who has masterminded NorthEast’s climb to the summit of the league seemed in a buoyant mood ahead of the challenge of hosting the champions and believes qualifying for the semis is still on for all eight teams. “We will be playing our sixth game. Between the fifth and sixth game we have got a little more time to recover. But anyway, it will be six games in 20 days which is difficult. However, as I’ve said before our team must face this challenge with optimism and great spirit. Chennaiyin FC and all the other teams are good. There is not much difference so every team has to be at its best to have a chance to win. Even though Chennaiyin FC lost one game at home they are still a good team,” Vingada told the media on Wednesday.

He continued: “The last game they won against FC Goa was again a good game. As I have always said in such situations I will look to my team, I know how good my team is. We know we have to be in good form to face Chennaiyin FC. Even though Chennaiyin FC have less points than us, nobody in the league has enough points yet to say they have qualified. Also, the team with less points will not give up now. All teams have a chance to still qualify. Of course, it is better to have 12 points than just five or six points. Some teams have played fewer games than the other so they have a slight advantage of having games in hand to pick points. So, I expect a good game because Chennaiyin FC is a good team.”

When asked for his thoughts on what the magic number this season will be for qualification to the semis, Vingada said: “In the first season 19 points was sufficient to qualify. Then in the second season 22 points were needed. And last year NorthEast United FC got 20 points and did not qualify. I feel that 22 points will be just enough for us to qualify maybe, but I am not sure. The faster we get 22 points we can have better control and allow some players to rest…the main target is to reach 22 points as soon as possible and then after that we will see. At this point I don’t know if it will be enough.”

Vingada also expressed how he thinks NorthEast’s passionate supporters will have a role to play on Thursday. “We are playing in our home stadium where we will have the support of our fans. We know they are as important as the 12th man. It is our target to get three points. We know we have to collect as much points as possible to meet our target for NorthEast United FC to reach the semi-finals.”

The Super Machans have never beaten the Highlanders with their four previous encounters ending in three wins for NorthEast (3-0 in Hero ISL 2014 and 2-0 and 1-2 victories in Hero ISL 2015) and a 2-2 draw at Chennai in the inaugural season. Vingada, however, doesn’t believe this will have any bearing on the outcome of their first meeting this season.

“The league is so young that the results in the past even though different it doesn’t matter much. This year is different, the coaches have changed, different players as well. I don’t look to the past as to how much we have won or lost. I am not worried about the past. I am more worried with the level and quality of some of the players of Chennaiyin FC. Even though the last two-three games were good for us, I am worried about the fitness and preparation of our team. I believe most of the success we have had until now has to do with our psychological conditions, our mentality to win and face the games with confidence,” said Vingada.

He added: “When we have had the ball we went ahead and counter attacked so this is what I want for tomorrow as well. Maybe 20 years down the line when the league is older, then the previous year results will matter. Until then it doesn’t matter. Chennaiyin FC were the champions last year so we have to say we are playing the champions. Even though Chennaiyin FC started a little slow they went on to win the Hero ISL.”