NEW DELHI: Delhi Dynamos FC will look to get off to a winning start in their first home game of the Indian Super League (ISL) season four when the take on NorthEast United FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday.
Miguel Ángel Portugal's side played its opening two fixtures away from home and the Spanish coach is itching to see his boys play in front of their home supporters.
"I know my stadium. Our support, I think, will be the difference because it's good to have fans supporting your team through the entire game. But that will be the only advantage we have in the match. We'll have to play the game the same way as we did in the first two matches," Portugal said at the pre-match press conference on Friday.
Portugal also expressed concern over his team's defensive fragilities at the presser. The Delhi team has conceded six goals in two games.
"It's a problem conceding six goals in two matches. But it's not just about our defence rather, it's about the way we have been defending as a team. I don't like it. Our philosophy is to press well and we have not been doing that and I'm worried about that," he added.
His counterpart, NorthEast United FC coach João Carlos Pires de Deus, said that he wanted his team to play the same way as they did in their first two games, even though they are yet to register any points and are still waiting to score their first goal in the ISL four.
"What I tell my boys is to do the same as we did in the first two games. We created enough opportunities in those two matches. We'll try to do the same against Delhi Dynamos and hope we get a little bit more lucky," the Portuguese coach said.
Deus also spoke about Delhi's attacking threat which boasts of Nigerian forward Kalu Uche and teenage starlet Lallianzuala Chhangte.
"They are a good attack. And they have a balanced squad. We have studied our opponents and we'll try to minimise their attacking threat."
Looking at the history, there isn't much between the two teams. In the past six encounters between the two sides, NorthEast United FC have managed one win over Delhi Dynamos FC, while Delhi have gotten the better of NorthEast on two previous occasions.