ISL 2024-25: NorthEast United seals playoffs spot after 3-0 win over Chennaiyin FC
ISL 2024-25: NorthEast United seals playoffs spot after 3-0 win over Chennaiyin FC
The last time NorthEast United played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai, it lost 1-2 to Chennaiyin FC (CFC) in the last moments of the match, getting eliminated from the race for playoffs in April last year.
“Perhaps next time!” was the common emotion as the dejected visitors left the venue amidst celebrating home fans. Within a year, that ‘next time’ arrived as the Highlanders beat a meek CFC 3-0 to seal a spot in the playoffs in their Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 match on Saturday.
Alaaeddine Ajaraie, the league’s highest-ever goalscorer in a single season, scored once and assisted twice as NEUFC entered the knockouts after four seasons and a content Juan Pedro Benali – NEUFC’s suspended head coach – applauded with a smile from the stands.
NEUFC’s assistant coach Naushad Moosa had made it clear that his boys would go for the kill. And they did, with the first chance within the first 40 seconds – Jithin MS setting up Nestor Albiach, who failed to land a shot on target.
The latter got his moment of redemption soon when Ajaraie drew Pritam Kotal towards himself and flicked the ball to the Spaniard with his first touch. Albiach ran into free space and then rattled the net from outside the box in the seventh minute.
The hosts got a chance to settle scores three minutes later when Wilmar Jordan Gil and Conor Shields combined in the penalty box, with the latter’s shot saved by NEUFC’s goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh.
Seconds later, Jiteshwor Singh won the ball in the midfield and set up Jordan Gil, whose right-footed curler was pushed out by Gurmeet again.
NEUFC replied by moving the ball smoothly into the final third using triangular passes and got the result in the 26th minute.
Mohammed Ali Bemmamer, who returned to the starting 11 after suspension, combined with Jithin and Ajaraie as the latter set up the former in front of goal. Jithin, who had found the net in his previous outing here last year, tucked it home, spreading his arms like Jude Bellingham in celebration afterwards.
CFC looked stuck between a rock and a hard place as it tried to stop the bleeding, almost disappearing in attack – until the last minute of regulation time – while the Highlanders rained attacks consistently.
Ajaraie almost scored in the 34th minute, making a solo run along the left flank and hitting the woodwork.
However, he found the target four minutes later, Jithin returning the favour to the Moroccan with a cross in the box. Ajaraie’s first shot, off the right foot, was blocked by Ryan Edwards, but there was no stopping the second attempt off his left.
The hosts tried to wake up from their slumber after restart, replacing Kotal, Elsinho and Vincy Barretto with P. C. Laldinpuia, Jitendra Singh and Lukas Brambilla, respectively. But Moosa and his boys knew that a 3-0 scoreline within 40 minutes of the game was almost full points in their kitty.
CFC thought it had pulled one back in the 78th minute when Jordan Gil struck Brambilla’s through ball into the net. But replay showed the Colombian was clearly off the line.
Its night went from bad to worse when Edwards was sent off for a foul on Ajaraei in front of the box, two minutes later.
Despite having a numerical advantage, NEUFC stuck to its plan to remain defensive in the remaining minutes of regulation time to secure its first-ever clean sheet against the Marina Machans in their home.
NEUFC, with 35 points from 23 matches, will end the league phase against East Bengal on March 8 while Chennaiyin FC, out of the playoff-race with 24 points from 23 games, will host Jamshedpur FC in its concluding fixture of the ISL season.
Published on Mar 03, 2025
