Kolkata: Northeast United FC had its opening match of the Indian Super League 2024-25 today in Kolkata. And NEUFC managed to win its very first match in the ongoing tournament. They defeated the home team Mohammedan Sporting Club in this match.
Northeast United FC’s Alaeddine Ajaraie scored the only goal of the match to ensure the victory. The goal came in the added time of the second half. After the first half of the game was a goalless draw.
This was the first match for NEUFC after they won the prestigious 133rd Durand Cup.
Alaaeddine Ajaraie came off the bench to score a winner in the stoppage time (90+4) to earn NorthEast United FC a hard-fought 1-0 victory in their Indian Super League (ISL 2024-25) opener at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan here Monday.
In a fiercely contested match, Ajaraie came off the bench to score the decisive goal. Converting a cross from Thoi Singh to spark wild celebrations from the Highlanders.
Jithin MS, who was named the Player-of-the-Match, put an effort into keeping the ball in play near the byline. And he crossed it across the face of the goal. Ajaraie met the ball and flicked it further across where it was met by another substitute Thoi Singh. Thoi controlled the ball and put it back in for Ajaraie, who thumped a first-time effort into the roof of the net.
“More than performance, I am happy with three points. It is all the same whether you score in the first or the last minute of the game. It was the first game of the ISL against a very dangerous opponent, who were playing their first ISL game, on their home turf,” NorthEast United FC head coach Juan Pedro Benali said after the match.
Earlier in the match, both teams created several chances but were unable to break the deadlock. Jithin MS and Guillermo Fernandez, who were instrumental in the Durand Cup success, continued their impressive form throughout the game.
NorthEast United will face Mohun Bagan SG at the Salt Lake Stadium on September 23.
