Atletico de Kolkata defeated Chennaiyin FC 2-1 in the second leg of the semi-final at the Salt Lake Stadium but could not secure a place in this year's ISL final, as the visitors proceeded to the finals on a basis of a superior aggregate 4-2 score. ATK probably played the best game of the season as they tried to overcome the 3-0 deficit from the first leg. Dejan Lekic and Ian Hume scored for the home team whereas substitute Fikru scored for Chennaiyin FC minutes before end of play.
The match also witnessed a lot of drama and tussle between the players from both sides while ATK head coach Antonio Habas received a sent off by the referee. Chennaiyin should consider themselves lucky as they will play FC Goa in the finals while it was a tale of missed chances for ATK as they could not convert the many chances which came their way.
Let’s take a look at the Heroes and Zeroes from yesterday's match:
Atletico de Kolkata:
Heroes:
Ian Hume: ATK needed to score goals and who better knows how to than Ian Hume. He tried his best to find the back of the net and finally did in the 86th minute through a superb volley and kept ATK in the contention.
Dejan Lekic: Just like Hume, Lekic, too, was hunting for goals in the Chennaiyin box and thanks to his predatory instincts, he managed to strike first in the 21st minute through a clever chip.
Gavilan: With Borja Fernandes out due to an injury, all the midfield responsibility was on Gavilan. He did his part as he pushed his team forward in search of goals, making useful passes and runs from the midfield zone and occasionally taking long shots aiming the rival goal.
Flops:
Nallapan Mohanraj: Due his silly mistake, opposition striker Fikru got the opportunity to score for Chennaiyin which snatched the match away from ATK in the dying minutes. As an experienced defender, he should not have committed the costly mistake else who knows, ATK could have bounced back at the very end.
Chennaiyin FC:
Heroes:
Edel Bete: Although Chennaiyin conceded three goals but if not for Bete, they would have conceded 2-3 more goals. He saved atleast three sure shot goals and saved his team from being eliminated from the title race. On a night where ATK players attacked with everything they got, Bete made the difference between the two teams.
Fikru Teferra: He casted the goal in the dying minutes of the match to seal the place in the finals for his team. Matterazzi's gamble to introduce Fikru in place of Mendoza paid off well as Fiktu disrupted ATK's rhythm through unfair yet effective tactics as soon as he was introduced.
Steven Mendoza: Although the Colombian did not score a goal, he was a constant headache for the ATK defence and kept troubling the rival defenders right from the start.
Zeroes:
Elano: Elano was relatively slow in the field and was out of his usual touch. On a regular day, he makes a huge impact in the midfield but last night he was just impactless, allowing ATK players run a rampage through the midfield.
By Dipayan Saha
