We lost because of our mistakes: Materazzi

After the loss, Chennaiyin just have one point from two games, after the defending champions drew their first encounter against Atletico de Kolkata earlier this week. 

“We didn’t play well. Now, it is my responsibility. At least for the next game, we hope we will show that we are going to fight,” said the coach. 

It was yet another horrid night for Nallappan Mohanraj as the left back couldn't put a foot right. Materazzi conceded that the defender needed more time to integrate into the team. “But we can’t blame a single player. If we win, we win together. If we lose, we lose together,” he added. 

Once Delhi Dynamos scored 2-1 in the 34th minute, Materazzi said there was a lack of hunger from the home team. “I think we played very well for the first ten minutes but after that, we had to be more intelligent and have the hunger to score another goal. But once Delhi scored 2-1, we just went down. The defense was suffering and the team wasn’t playing together. Since the level of the league has gone higher, if you make a mistake, you will pay for it. We made some pretty bad mistakes. We are actually lucky that we lose by only 3-1. I want to congratulate Delhi for their win. It is also because of many mistakes from our side,” said Materazzi. 

Delhi Dynamos coach Gianluca Zambrotta said that the first 15 minutes was tough for the visiting team. “The tactical part was difficult but after that, we started playing like winners. Fortunately, we have done a good job. We were happy to sit back after scoring the second goal and try to close the game. It is important to close the match before and not wait for an extra goal,” he said. 

Forward Kean Lewis revealed that the team practiced off the ball movements, which help them clinch the game from the home team. “Going into the pre-season, we had a game with West Brom. We managed to play well and keep them at bay. Over a month of pre-season in England, Sweden and Delhi, we have come together as a team, on and off the field. We are a family and that’s why you see us play so well. We also practice a lot of off-the-ball movements and third ball runs, which help us catch the opponents by surprise. That’s how we managed to win,” said the Indian footballer. 

On defender Anas Edathodika’s injury sustained during the second half, Zambrotta said, “We don’t know yet if it is a muscle tear or a more serious injury. We will only tomorrow after a medical test.” 

While Zambrotta was thrilled to get one-up over his Italian counterpart Materazzi, the Delhi Dynamos coach has already started strategizing for his next encounter. “The championship has just started. I’m happy for tonight but from tomorrow, we start a new adventure. We have to think about our next match,” he concluded.