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Two-time champions Chennaiyin FC have had an underwhelming start to their Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 campaign. After a 2-1 victory over ATK Mohun Bagan in their opening game, the Marina Machans were held to a 1-1 draw by Bengaluru FC before losing 2-0 to FC Goa.
Ahead of their upcoming clash against East Bengal, Chennaiyin head coach Thomas Brdaric underlined that the string of poor results has been down to his team's inability to score goals.
In their last two games, the Tamil Nadu-based outfit have managed to score just a single goal. The German gaffer stated:
"Football is very simple. If we can't score, we can't win. In the last matches, we created several chances but conceded goals. We analyzed those and want to improve next time."
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Chennaiyin will next face the Red and Gold Brigade, who are in a fix of their own. Stephen Constantine's side have suffered three losses, winning just one. But Brdaric stressed that the encounter against East Bengal will be a "special match", saying:
"It's a special match against East Bengal FC and an extraordinary feeling to play here in this big stadium in front of the fans."
"They are a physically strong team" - Chennaiyin FC gaffer Thomas Brdaric on East Bengal
Despite their poor record, East Bengal could pose a tricky team for Chennaiyin FC to navigate. Constantine's side showed great resilience, especially in the first half of the Kolkata derby.
Speaking about their upcoming opponents, Brdaric underlined:
"East Bengal FC have an interesting staff. Playing against each club in the ISL is a new challenge. They have their strengths and we spoke about them.
"We have to prevent them from going into our deep zone with their fast players. We have to deny those one-on-one situations in the next match. They are a physically strong team with good experienced players. But we want to play with our tactics."
The German also revealed that forward Kwame Karikari will be unavailable due to an injury, while Anirudh Thapa has returned to full fitness. Abdenasser El Khayati could play some part in Friday's fixture.
