Players of North East United FC (Red) and Odisha FC (in white) vie for the ball in the course of the ISL match between in opposition to Odisha FC, on the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Sarusajai in Guwahati, on April 13, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI
NorthEast United FC ended their Indian Super League campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory over Odisha FC on the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium right here on Saturday.
Though the Highlanders had been unable to qualify for the playoffs, they gave a very good account of themselves in opposition to the Juggernauts, who succumbed to their third loss of their final 5 video games.
Sergio Lobera & Co. therefore completed the league season with 39 factors and will probably be battling within the playoffs for a spot within the semi-final.
The Highlanders, who had been final within the desk in 2022-23, spherical off this campaign within the seventh spot with 26 factors from 22 matches to their title.
It was a scientific outing by the Highlanders, and younger attacker Parthib Gogoi opened the scoring for them on this dominant efficiency.
Gogoi had began the season by scoring in every of their first three league video games. He introduced the curtains down on the campaign with a objective to his title, albeit in a unique model.
Renowned for his out-of-the-box efforts, Parthib tapped in a low cross within the twelfth minute to start out the scoring for the Highlanders.
Four minutes later, the house workforce doubled their lead and it was their Spanish talisman Nestor Albiach who swung into motion for a similar.
Parthib, energetic within the remaining third, laid the ball up for Nestor, who carried the ball into the Odisha FC field with easy ease and put it previous Lalthuammawia Ralte to spherical off some of the fascinating solo efforts of the season.
The Juggernauts had an opportunity to tug a objective again quickly afterwards. Odisha FC attacker Pranjil Bhumij drew a foul contained in the 18-yard field within the twenty fourth minute, however Roy Krishna’s shot from the spot was saved within the backside left nook by NorthEast United FC goalkeeper Mirshad Michu.
This was the primary time that Krishna missed a penalty in his ISL profession, having transformed every of his earlier 10 efforts.
The Highlanders made them pay for this slip-up, with Phalguni Singh getting his title on the scoresheet within the added time of the primary half.
Gogoi’s cross contained in the centre of the field was lapped upon and netted in by Phalguni for his workforce’s third objective of the night time, and successfully hand them a formidable lead within the proceedings.
