Indian Super League as it happened: FC Pune City 1-1 Chennaiyin FC

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW LIVE DETAILED UPDATES OF THE MATCH Pune: Marco Materazzi alighted from the team bus as soon as he saw Franco Colomba walk out of the stadium after the media briefing, engulfed him in a mighty embrace and animatedly broke into quick Italian. Come today evening, we may see the opposite side of both managers - Colomba, who was given a one match ban for celebrating outside his technical area after a goal, and Materazzi, who says they weren’t given enough respect from the referee in their previous game. These are two fiery characters who seem very calm off the pitch but very expressive on it. Materazzi, it seems, will also play. “We’re not going to rest any important players. We have no special preparations for Pune, but we are treating this match like a final. It is important to be first in the table,” the World Cup winning Italian said, adding that he won’t be satisfied until his team reach the pinnacle of the inaugural Indian Super League. [caption id=“attachment_1797545” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  FC Pune celebrate a goal against Atletico de Kolkata. ISL[/caption] Colomba though, brushed off suggestions that he was treating this match like a final. “No, no… it’s not a final. It will be a strong match, a good match — a match between two good teams.” There’s a certain togetherness about FC Pune City now. All three goals against Atletico de Kolkata were celebrated with the scorers running straight to Colomba, who was in the stands. “For a team it’s very important that they remain together, compact. In good times and bad times, on the pitch and off it. I think we are a team which is together now,” Colomba said. The orange and purple brigade will also welcome Jermaine Pennant into the fold on Tuesday evening. The former Liverpool winger said that he was ready to play, but it was up to the manager how many minutes he will get against Chennaiyin. Pennant is a jolly character. He has already said that he’s finding himself comfortable with so many English speakers in the team —and also joked that he will be the man to stop Elano from scoring. “I want to bring creativity going forward, more supply. With the strikers we have, that’s important,” Pennant said on a more serious note, adding that he had done his research before coming to the ISL. He thinks the league is very competitive. Materazzi’s team is on a three-match unbeaten run that has taken his side to within a point of the top of the table with a match in hand. Colomba has completely turned Pune’s season around. A woeful start which saw his team ship five goals against Mumbai City FC has been transformed into a run of three wins in four matches. Pune’s midfield will need to close down Elano and the team’s defence, made up of the imposing Bruno Cirillo and Daniele Magliocchetti, will have to be extra careful when giving away free-kicks. The Brazilian has eight goals in six games and has run riot against defences so far. This is Materazzi’s first job as manager and he has made a flying start. Colomba has proven his acumen by changing his team and settling into what he calls a ‘pattern which makes him happy.’ This is an all-Italian affair you cannot miss.