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ATK, Chennaiyin aim for third ISL title
In the league phase, ATK won 1-0 in Chennai and lost 1-3 at home. They have played each other 14 times in six seasons and ATK have a 6-4 head-to-head win record.
Antonio Lopez could be the first coach to win two Indian Super League (ISL) titles if ATK beat Chennaiyin FC, whose transition from effete to efficient has been a talking point of season 6, in Goa on Saturday. The final will be held behind closed doors to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The teams have not lost an ISL final and have two titles each. ATK won in 2014 and 2016 and Chennaiyin FC in 2015 and 2017-18. This will be the first time they are meeting in the title-round. In the league phase, ATK won 1-0 in Chennai and lost 1-3 at home. They have played each other 14 times in six seasons and ATK have a 6-4 head-to-head win record.
From three points and four goals after six matches to making the final on the back of eight wins since December when Owen Coyle replaced John Gregory as coach, Chennaiyin FC’s turnaround has been remarkable. It was in the midst of that run—during which they won 19 points from seven games—that they beat ATK 3-1.
“We had qualified for the semi-finals while they had to win nearly every game. So, while our focus was not 100%, they were very sharp. Saturday will be different,” said Prabir Das, ATK right wing-back.
Under Coyle, Chennaiyin FC have had one plan: attack. “They tend to get overexcited and put men forward and that gives teams the opportunity to counter,” said ATK striker David Williams.
All-out attack was a risky proposition, but having taken charge when Chennaiyin FC were ninth in the standings, Coyle knew draws would be of little use.
“We have shown we are dangerous offensively. But we need to have some balance. I think we are moving in the right direction, but we are nowhere near being the finished article,” said the former Wigan Athletic manager.
Crucial to their high intensity offensive game has been Rafael Crivellaro, Nerijus Valskis, Andre Schembri and Lallianzuala Chhangte.
Valskis has 14 goals and six assists; Chhangte has scored in their last three games. He also has seven goals—the most by an Indian from open play this term—and his duel with Das could provide an interesting sub-plot to the final. With seven goals and eight assists, Crivellaro is the creative fulcrum. Maltese Schembri, who will retire after the final, has five goals and three assists. Since Coyle took charge, Chennaiyin FC have scored 34 goals in 15 games.
“We will stick to our style because we believe that we can win games with it,” said Coyle whose team beat league toppers FC Goa 6-5 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
With Roy Krishna on 15 goals and five assists, his frontline partner Williams returning to form with a brace against Bengaluru FC in the semi-final, Edu Garcia and Javier Hernandez adding muscle to the midfield and Das winging it, ATK too don’t need to change much. Going into the semi-finals, ATK, who have won 11 games on way to the final—two more than Chennaiyin FC—also had the second best defensive record in the league.
“We have a certain style of playing; we tend to build from the back. Two of our goals against Bengaluru came that way. When it works, we are the best ticket in town,” said Williams.
