Guwahati (Assam) [India], January 3 (ANI): NorthEast United FC and Mohammedan SC played out a goalless draw at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 on Friday.
Both teams took two shots on target and made 10 interceptions each, though NorthEast United FC were more effective from the flanks – making 27 crosses vis-a-vis eight of the visitors. To keep the league’s highest goal-scoring team (29) at bay was a commendable effort by Mohammedan SC.
The first real opportunity of the game fell in Mohammedan SC’s hands in the 18th minute. The visitors were grappling to get the ball into the NorthEast United FC box. But, a disciplined backline of the Highlanders ensured that they made matters difficult on the left-hand side of the 18-yard area.
Adison Singh promptly discovered a unique chance, lobbing the ball despite being in close distance to Alexis Gomez, who picked the ball with a delicate touch before launching a left-footed shot that rollicked past the NorthEast United FC’s defensive third. The effort couldn’t land on target though and missed hitting the target on the left side.
Mohammedan SC kept pressing for pathways to crack open the NorthEast United FC backline and Adison was at the centre of another such play in the closing stages of the first half. With the initial essay of the game about to cap off, Mohammedan SC opted to go direct and Adison received a long ball inside the box.
The delivery, however, was at a challenging height that required the Mohammedan SC player to adjust his position to a huge extent. Thus, he couldn’t get much power behind his shot and was denied by an alert and onrushing Gurmeet Singh who saved the shot and sent the ball out of the box to keep the scores leveled at half-time.
NorthEast United FC began striking back as the game progressed. In the 57th minute, they earned a free-kick from considerable distance, and Alaaeddine Ajaraie stepped up on the ball. However, the attacker didn’t launch a powerful shot.
He instead caught the Mohammedan SC defence off-guard by playing the ball to an unmarked Parthib Gogoi on the left side of the penalty box. Gogoi got ample time to receive the ball and turn around, but the Mohammedan SC defence quickly gathered back as Gogoi’s shot was blocked, resulting in a corner for the Highlanders.
Three minutes later, Gomez was at the helm of another such distant free-kick, this time for Mohammedan SC. Unlike Ajaraie, who opted for a slick build-up, Gomez backed his instincts to directly attack the goal.
His shot beat the NorthEast United FC defensive wall with ease and was heading straight into the top right corner of the net. Yet again, Gurmeet showed quick vigilance to get his hands to the ball and ward off the effort, keeping his team afloat in the game.
In the 70th minute, Guillermo Fernandez teased the Mohammedan SC box from an acute angle inside the box. Buanthanglun Samte pulled off a unique corner move with Fernandez, delivering him the ball in the near post on the right side, which Fernandez was unable to get past Padam Chhetri despite being quick to get to the end of the ball and placing himself in a formidable position, from where he just needed to lob the ball over the opposition’s custodian.
Eight minutes later, Mohammed Bemammer swung in a cross for Asheer Akhtar that the latter couldn’t head inside the net, capping off an evening of near finishes for both teams, as the two sides settled for a point apiece. (ANI)
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