ISL 2024-25: NorthEast United rides on Ajaraie’s double strike to down Mumbai City FC

ISL 2024-25: NorthEast United rides on Ajaraie’s double strike to down Mumbai City FC

NorthEast United rode on Alaaeddine Ajaraie’s twin strikes to edge past Mumbai City FC 3-0 and jump to the fourth spot in the Indian Super League points table.

At the Mumbai Football Arena on Monday, the Highlanders took the lead in the opening minute, with Ajaraie making the most of a Parthib Gogoi pass and scoring from close range.

Despite having better ball possession, Mumbai City FC missed out on a few opportunities to bounce back. In the 24th minute, the home team squandered a chance as the ball landed perfectly inside the box, but Vikram Partap Singh failed to get his head on it.

In the next minute, the NorthEast outfit was awarded a penalty. But Ajaraie’s right-footed shot was saved by the Mumbai goalkeeper, much to the disappointment of a hundred-odd NorthEast fans.

In the 83rd minute, Ajaraie, however, made amends as he converted a pass from Macarton Nickson with a left-footed shot from the centre of the box. Three minutes later, the Highlanders extended the lead further with Nickson’s right-footed shot from the centre of the box.

While it was heartbreak for the Mumbai outfit as its four-game clean sheet streak ended, it did make efforts to find a way back into the game.

It was denied a penalty towards the end of the first half. As Mumbai players claimed that a bouncing ball inside the box hit the hand of a NorthEast player, the referee remained nonchalant.

Throughout an action-packed second half, Mumbai City FC looked aggressive, but it failed to find the back of the net. Things, eventually, went haywire in the last ten minutes as two late strikes by Ajaraie and Nickson dashed Mumbai City’s hopes.