ISL Analysis | Stubborn Jamshedpur exploits Delhi callous defence

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Jamshedpur recorded their maiden ISL win, on Wednesday in Delhi, when they managed to hand Delhi Dynamos their third defeat of the season. The Dynamos failed to threaten the Jamshedpur back line for the entire game and suffered as a result when the visitors got the goal from a setpiece.

From hero to zero

Delhi’s Albino Gomes is currently passing through a phase where no game goes by without having him leaving his footprint on it. After being the villain in the last game when his missed a clearance that led to NorthEast United’s second goal, the custodian from Goa was in the thick of things again today and quite dramatically.

When Gomes saved the spot kick of Andre Bikey in the 59th minute following a decent first-half performance, the 23-year-old seemed to have made amends for his past blunders that had cost his side majorly. However, reality crept in almost instantly as Izu Azuka leaped the highest to head in a thunderous shot from Mehtab Hossain’s free-kick, two minutes later.

And one would guess, Gomes was at fault yet again. Hossain’s curling freekick was well measured and with a bunch of bodies up top, had a good chance of finding the back of the net. However, as luck would have it for the home side, no defenders had surprisingly marked the striker well enough and Gomes was standing at an awkwardly uncertain position, from where he could neither punch the ball away nor get to it when the player headed it in.

Jamshedpur FC shines in defence, again

Steve Coppell comes from a league that believes in the adage - while attack gets you goals, defence wins you games. And the former Reading FC manager has instilled the philosophy in his players to their very core. Jamshedpur came into the battle between the bottom-placed teams with a 100% clean sheet record and ensured that it remained that way in their third away game of the season.

The central defensive duo of Tiri and Andre Bikey, who were instrumental in keeping Atletico de Kolkata at bay, made sure that Delhi didn’t score in their second consecutive home game. Delhi forwards were allowed to have just three attempts on goal in the entire game despite the visitors holding a very high line.

The duo managed 8 clearances, 3 interceptions, and 2 blocks in the game, but what helped the side, more importantly, was their extreme composure on the ball. None of Delhi’s attack were hastily cleared away, because the duo ensured that they collected the ball and passed it up in the most effective manner. The duo had an average passing accuracy of 70% between them, and contributed 25% of the team’s passes.

The Showstopper

Mehtab Hossain played the lynchpin in Jamshedpur’s machinery once again as the midfielder came up with a magnificent curling assist in the 61st minute that was headed in by Azuka. The game was in many ways a battle between the experienced campaigner and Delhi’s young Vinit Rai, but Hossain was far too effective in the midfield than his counterpart.

One of the main reasons why Delhi didn’t get to dominate the game and more surprisingly managing just three shots on the goal in the entire game, was the experienced man from Kolkata. Hossain, quite cleverly plays as the third player between Tiri and Bikey in the central defence and prevents opposition from taking shots from outside the box. His pressure forces the sides to play sideways and attempt from flanks, which are easily seen off by the two towering centre-halves. Delhi attempted 18 crosses today with no effect whatsoever.

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