Coming on the back of two successive defeats, Chennaiyin FC faces a stern challenge against the Indian Super League (ISL) table-topper Odisha FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Sunday.
The Owen Coyle-coached side is placed second from bottom in the standings but remains within touching distance – six points with two games in hand – of the sixth playoff place. Chennaiyin will hope there is still time to turn things around with four of its last six matches at home.
But to get past Odisha, which is unbeaten in 13 ISL matches, Chennaiyin will need to improve its finishing in front of goal. The team has struck just twice in its last seven matches and has scored the least amount of goals among the sixth-place-chasing teams.
“What we have to do is certainly be more clinical because we create big chances in every game. But that being said, for where we are just now, we want to be winning, we can do that,” said Coyle.
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Chennaiyin has also been susceptible at the back with defensive errors costing it crucial points and will not want to repeat the same mistakes against the attacking duo of Roy Krishna (11 goals) and Diego Mauricio (7).
Odisha, which narrowly lost the Kalinga Super Cup final in January, has a big couple of weeks ahead starting with the Chennaiyin game as the club chases its maiden ISL League Winners’ Shield.
The fixture will be followed by two AFC Cup Inter-zonal semifinal ties against Australia’s Central Coast Mariners.
“Every game is very important for us. We got a big win in the last match (where) we got three very important points. Chennaiyin FC is a difficult team to beat, it’s not easy to beat them, we have to compete against everything and prepare for the game accordingly,” noted Odisha coach Sergio Lobera.
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