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NorthEast edge past Hyderabad to go top

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Hyderabad, Telangana: A late Maximiliano Barreiro penalty proved to be the difference as NorthEast United FC defeated Hyderabad FC to climb to the top of the Hero Indian Super League standings at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium here on Wednesday.

The teams had their fair share of moments in a closely-contested tie, but a handball in the 86th minute helped NorthEast United edge past their opponents.

Robert Jarni’s team remain unbeaten and have eight points from four games, while Hyderabad sit ninth on the table with three points.

The hosts were quick to take the game to the opposition with Marcelinho impressing in the final third. Four minutes into the game, the Brazilian forward dribbled into the box, executed a step-over to outfox Mislav Komorski and thumped the ball towards the goal from a tight angle, forcing goalkeeper Subhasish Roy Chowdhury to make a low save.

Hyderabad were aggressive in their approach throughout the first-half, but their final ball lacked the threat to fetch an opener. At the other end, the visitors struggled to make an impact and failed to test the goalkeeper in the opening 45 minutes.

Marcelinho once again showed his quality when he danced into the box but his cross towards Gani Nigam in the centre was headed clear.

Redeem Tlang got the better of the hosts’ defence soon after the restart with a clever run in behind the defence. Substitute Maximiliano Barreiro lobbed a well-timed ball for the Indian forward whose powerful shot from an acute angle was kept out by Kamaljit Singh at his near post.

The Highlanders, who sought a way back into the game, suffered a blow when Asamoah Gyan had to be forced off the field due to an injury. His replacement Panagiotis Triadis nearly made an instant impact when he flicked Reagan Singh’s low cross from the right flank towards the goal following a clever run, but Kamaljit was up to the task.

Hyderabad found it difficult to maintain the intensity with which they ended the first half. Mohammed Yasir latched on to an excellent pass by Stankovic but sent his effort wide from inside the box. With clear-cut chances drying up, Rohit Kumar tested the keeper from outside the box after the hour-mark but hit it straight at Subhasish Roy.

There was drama at the end as a Jose Leudo strike from the edge of the box hit Shankar Sampingraj’s hand, resulting in a spot-kick for the visitors. Barreiro stepped up and coolly slotted home from the spot, leaving Kamaljit with no chance and sealing an important win for his team.

(ISL Media)

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Indian Super League

Manvir rescues point for Goa with last-minute goal

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Guwahati, Assam: FC Goa came up with yet another injury-time equaliser to salvage a point against NorthEast United FC in a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here on Friday.

Goa did the same against Bengaluru FC in their previous match which finished 1-1.

Hugo Boumous (31′) put Goa ahead in the first-half before NorthEast United came up with two second-half strikes from Asamoah Gyan (54′) and Redeem Tlang (74′). But despite a late red card to Seiminlen Doungel, Manvir Singh bagged a late equaliser for Goa.

NorthEast United were the first to threaten the goal when Milan Singh found Gyan at the edge of the box and the Ghanaian forced a good save from Mohammad Nawaz.

The game was played from one end to another and Boumous was denied by the crossbar minutes later. Ahmed Jahouh found Ferran Corominas who released Boumous into the box but the Frenchman’s thunderous strike struck the woodwork.

However, Boumous was not to be denied in the 31st minute. In a move that oozed quality, Brandon Fernandes played an excellent first-time through-ball off Corominas’ layoff to feed Boumous in behind the NorthEast defence. The midfielder skipped past the onrushing goalkeeper Subhasish Roy Chowdhury and calmly slotted into an empty net.

NorthEast stepped up their efforts to find a goal and Gyan spurned two big chances to pull his team level in the first half. First, Mourtada Fall misplaced a simple pass into the feet of the forward but his shot from the edge of the box was hit straight at the goalkeeper. Five minutes before the break, the Ghanaian’s header was well saved by Nawaz.

Gyan made his mark soon after the restart by scoring the equaliser. The striker, who pounced on Fall’s failure to intercept Rakesh Pradhan’s through-ball, latched on to the pass inside the box and curled a neat strike past Nawaz into the net.

As the visitors tried to regain their lead, Subhasish pulled off a brilliant double save to keep his team in the game soon after the hour-mark. First, Corominas played Jackichand through into the box and the winger’s powerful effort was kept out by the diving goalkeeper. The rebound fell to Corominas lurking inside the box but Subhasish got up in time to block the Spaniard’s shot from close-range.

NorthEast’s second-half intensity was rewarded in the 74th minute. Martin Chaves ran down the left flank and produced an accurate low cross for Redeem Tlang whose magnificent first-time strike left Nawaz rooted to the spot and put the home side into the lead.

There was drama right at the end as Seiminlen Doungel’s poor tackle on Chaves was punished with a red card.

But a 10-man Goa found joy in injury time when a free-kick into the box was flicked across goal by Fall. Manvir rose highest in the centre of the box to nod the ball in and give his side a point.

(ISL Media)

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Indian Super League

Gyan heads winner for NorthEast United

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Guwahati, Assam: Star striker Asamoah Gyan handed NorthEast United FC their first win of the Hero Indian Super League season after netting the winner in a 2-1 result over Odisha FC at the Indira Gandhi Athletic stadium here on Saturday.

The home team drew first blood when Redeem Tlang scored the quickest goal of the season (2’). Odisha equalised through Xisco Hernandez (71’) before defender Carlos Delgado was sent off. The Highlanders made their advantage count through Gyan who popped up with a header six minutes from time.

The win takes NorthEast to the top of the table while Odisha slumped to their second loss in as many matches.

The hosts enjoyed the best possible start to the game when they roared into the lead with just two minutes on the clock. Martin Chaves started the move with a run down the left flank before finding Panagiotis Triadis down the middle. The Greek midfielder found Tlang in space down the right and the youngster tucked a finish past Arshdeep Singh to send the home crowd into raptures.

NorthEast looked assured in possession following the opener and caused a few problems for the Odisha defence. The visitors themselves had some joy going forward but poor final balls let them down.

NorthEast went close to a second goal in the 22nd minute when Triadis managed to keep a corner alive down the left and whipped a cross in for Wayne Vaz, whose header flew inches wide of the target.

Odisha started to grow into the game around the half an hour mark and almost got a goal of their own. Xisco Hernandez whipped a freekick into the box and it was met by Delgado, but he saw his header acrobatically pushed on to the bar by custodian Subhasish Roy Chowdhury.

Odisha head coach Josep Gombau opted to make a double change at half-time, bringing in Senegalese midfielder Diawandou Diagne and winger Nandhakumar Sekar. And the substitutes almost immediately did the job for Gombau. Diagne, after a good run down the right, flashed a dangerous cross across the face of goal in the 51st minute.

Nandha went close for Odisha soon after as they turned up the heat on NorthEast. The winger latched on to a fantastic chipped pass from Xisco to get into the box, sidestepped a defender and pulled the trigger, only to see his effort cleared off the line by an alert Kai Heerings.

The pressure finally told for Odisha in the 71st minute. Diagne’s brilliant cross from the right was flicked in smartly by Xisco with the outside of his left boot.

However, drama ensued two minutes later as Delgado was sent off for bringing down NorthEast substitute Maximilian Barreira.

With numerical advantage on their side, NorthEast piled on the pressure. They created a flurry of chances before finally getting the winner six minutes from time. Lalthathanga Khawlhring’s corner was headed in by star striker Gyan to hand his side their first win of the season.

(ISL Media)

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Indian Super League

Gritty NorthEast take away a point from Bengaluru on a rainy night at Kanteerava

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Bengaluru, Karnataka: Defending champions Bengaluru FC were held to a goalless draw by a spirited NorthEast United FC in their first game of the 2019-20 Hero Indian Super League at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Monday.

There were debuts handed out to several new signings, including Asamoah Gyan, Raphael Augusto and Ashique Kuruniyan, but the teams couldn’t be separated at the end of 90 minutes in what was a riveting contest.

Bengaluru got off the blocks quickly and pressed NorthEast high up the field.

Ashique announced his arrival with a trademark solo run from the left-back position in the 15th minute. The former FC Pune City player beat three players on his way into the box but shot wide of the mark.

NorthEast United were pinned to their own half in the early stages but were the first to have a shot on target. Collecting a layoff from Asamoah Gyan, Uruguayan Martin Chaves dribbled past Juanan and forced a diving save from Gurpreet Singh Sandhu in the 21st minute.

A few minutes later, Raphael Augusto split the Highlanders’ defence with an exquisite pass that released Udanta into the box but the Indian winger failed to test the goalkeeper with a wayward shot from a promising position.

The intensity dropped as the first half wore on. The Bengaluru defence failed to clear a loose ball inside the box after the half-hour mark and Rahul Bheke’s header back to Gurpreet ended up with Chaves who slashed wide in front of an open goal.

The game opened up after the break and both teams started finding openings. Martin Chaves’ rampaging run through the centre in the 52nd minute caught the Bengaluru defence off-guard. The forward found Gyan in space inside the box and the Ghanaian striker’s splendid effort bounced back off the bar.

Bengaluru, however, responded by fashioning two huge chances. Sunil Chhetri won a header at the back post and found Michael Onwu at point-blank range but he could not sort his feet out in time and the danger was cleared.

A headed clearance by Mislav Komorski after the hour-mark fell to Nishu Kumar who unleashed a powerful strike at the goal which Subhasish Roy Chowdhury in the Highlanders’ goal brilliantly kept out with one hand while diving to his right.

Carles Cuadrat brought Eugeneson Lyngdoh on with less than ten minutes to go as Bengaluru tried to find a late winner but the NorthEast defence, led by Komorski and Kai Heerings, and screened by an ever-present Jose Leudo in midfield, did well to close the gaps, frustrate the hosts and pick up a point.

(ISL Media)

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Indian Super League

Bengaluru FC have a chance to script history as they begin title defence at home

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Bengaluru, Karnataka: Defending Hero Indian Super League champions Bengaluru FC will be keen to pick up from where they left at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium the last time. The Blues registered a come-from-behind win against NorthEast United FC in the two-legged playoff en route the final in 2018-19.

The same opponents come calling in their 2019-20 season opener and Bengaluru FC could rewrite history by becoming the first team to win consecutive Hero ISL titles.

While coach Carles Cuadrat admitted that it’s ‘strange’ that none of the teams have been able to retain their title, Bengaluru’s focus is to ensure that they make it to the play-offs first and only then focus on clinching the silverware.

“I tell my players to be competitive so that we can reach the play-offs. Then one bad game and you are out. It is not abnormal. No team has won it twice. It is a strange thing. It’s not our job to defend the title but right now (the job is) to reach the play-offs. After that we will do our best to win the title,” said the Spaniard.

Despite the departure of the stars of the previous season, NorthEast United have made substantial acquisitions and Cuadrat remains wary of the Highlanders.

“NorthEast United is a completely different team with a different coach and so I am expecting a lot of competition. It is going to be a tough game for us. We have no idea about what NorthEast is going to offer. They have made some good signings like Asamoah Gyan. They also have other good players in their squad but it makes no sense for us to think about that. We have to focus on how we are going to prepare,” he pointed out.

Though they are the defending champions, Cuadrat is under no illusions that it is going to be an easy season for them. The Spaniard felt that other teams have upped their game and expects the race to the playoffs to be a close one.

“It is going to be difficult for us this season. A lot of teams have spent a lot of money and they are going to be very competitive so I think that we have to keep working but not feel the pressure.”

The Blues have made several additions to the squad in the summer such as striker Manuel Onwu who would have the unenviable task of replacing the prolific Miku.

“We had to leave Miku because of economics. But the new players have all the skill-sets we want. Miku is good for one thing and our current players suit different dynamics,” he explained.

Meanwhile, NorthEast United coach Robert Jarni also felt that the changes Bengaluru FC have made to their squad will pose some trouble for the Highlanders.

“Bengaluru FC have made some changes from last season. Also, we have some new players. We believe that we can do something good against them. We are confident and will try to bring the three points,” signed off the former Croatia Under-19 coach.

(ISL Media | Image: BFC Media)

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