Chennaiyin FC player-head coach Marco Materazzi at the post-match press conference.Chennaiyin FC player-head coach Marco Materazzi looked highly pleased with the result and his side’s second half performance after the visitors beat Mumbai City FC 0-3 in their den on Sunday night. The southerners have logged eight goals against the team from the maximum city in two meetings, having won the first leg fixture 5-1.Asked at the post-match press conference if he was happy with the performance of his team, the Italian replied with a counter question, “Are you happy with our performance? My guys were very quiet in the first half, maybe, they didn't want to score! But we came back and did fantastically.”Table topping Chennai are the highest scoring side in the tournament having hit the target 20 times in 10 games, a fact that the former Inter Milan player is delighted with. “We play to score. That is reflected in the fact that we have two strikers. We had many opportunities today but we also deserved one penalty. It’s okay, we scored anyway,” Materazzi said, while highlighting his squad’s approach to the game.Commenting on the depth and quality in his team who were missing their key players – Elano Blumer, Stiven Mendoza and Gouramangi Singh – due to injury, the 2006 World Cup winner said, “I want to say thank you to my boys because maybe, we played better than we do with Elano and Mendoza on the pitch. Elano has scored score eight and Mendoza four. But we have players like (Bruno) Pelissari and (Cristian) Hidalgo to take their place.”Though the league leaders are now three points clear of second placed Atlético de Kolkata, Materazzi believes the race for the top four spots isn't over yet. “We have 19 points and we're at the top but we need 5-6 points to finish on top. We need those points. The fact that we are not already in the semi-finals disappoints me,” lamented Materazzi."We play every 3-4 days, thus squad rotation is a must. Cristian played well and he played with an attitude, like I do. I like it when my players play with an attitude and they need to play my way. They need to die on the pitch for me if that's what it takes,” the Italian emphasised.Materazzi conceded that they could do with the services of their marquee Brazilian player but clarified, “We need Elano but we need the best and fittest Elano. He is resting and treating himself in Brazil. His injury was my mistake.”Left back Dhanachandra Singh, who scored his first goal of the Hero Indian Super League, was overjoyed with his team's performance and said that they are now on their way to the top four. “This victory has given us confidence and I will definitely try to score another goal. I had a feeling that I would score today and luck also played its part,” the defender said at the press conference.
