ISL 2016: NorthEast United take on Chennaiyin at home
NorthEast United FC have a great chance to stretch their lead at the top when they host defending champions Chennaiyin FC in an intriguing Hero Indian Super League match at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stad

NorthEast United FC have a great chance to stretch their lead at the top when they host defending champions Chennaiyin FC in an intriguing Hero Indian Super League match at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, here on Thursday.
NorthEast have 10 points from five matches and a win against the defending champions will open a clear five-point gap at the top of the table.
NorthEast managed a fighting 1-1 draw against Delhi Dynamos in the previous match and, according to manager Nelo Vingada, the team can now match the best sides in the league.
Chennaiyin, on the other hand will hope to forget their last visit to Guwahati in a hurry.
It all ended in disaster for Marco Materazzi’s side last season when Harmanjyot Khabra was sent off, players were involved in skirmishes and they lost 0-2.
Even in the first year, NorthEast stunned Chennaiyin FC, then leading the table, with a flurry of goals in the first session.
Materazzi will hope to change his away record in Guwahati and having won against FC Goa, will not be short on confidence.
Chennaiyin registered their first win this season after putting it across FC Goa 2-0 in an early repeat of last year’s final. Goals from Hans Mulder and Mehrajuddin Wadoo in the first half were enough to collect full points after a draw against Atletico de Kolkata and loss against Delhi Dynamos.
“We came in with a whole new mentality and what I told my players is that if we put the heart in, the will, the hunger, then we can win. If not then we are not the same team and we can be at the bottom of the table,” said Materazzi.
Chennaiyin are placed sixth at the moment with four points from three matches.