NorthEast United FC secured their place in the quarter-finals of the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup with a commanding 3-1 victory over FC1 in their final Group F fixture at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium on Tuesday, August 11.
The Highlanders finished the group stage with a flawless record, collecting three wins from three matches to top Group F. Parthib Sunder Gogoi was the star of the show, scoring twice, while Alaaeddine Ajaraie added another goal to take his tournament tally to six. Mohmad Ilyas scored FC1’s lone goal.
NorthEast United head coach Juan Pedro Benali made wholesale changes to his lineup, making 10 alterations from the previous game. Antonio Moyano was the only player to retain his place, while Etyan González Morales and Eneko Satrústegui Plano made their first starts for the club.
FC1 also made two changes, bringing Mousa Ahmed Quersehi and Tetty Armando Yoko back into the starting XI following their suspensions.
FC1 had an early opportunity to take the lead when Robin Yadav was penalised for handling the ball inside the box from a corner. Quersehi took responsibility from the spot, but NorthEast goalkeeper K. Mohanraj produced an excellent low save to his left to keep the scores level.
The save proved crucial as NorthEast United took the lead just two minutes later. Moyano found Jithin M.S., whose low delivery across the face of goal was met by Gogoi at the far post. The forward made no mistake with his finish.
FC1 enjoyed plenty of possession during the opening stages but struggled to break through NorthEast’s compact defensive structure. Despite earning four corners, the Jammu & Kashmir-based side could not create enough danger in the penalty area, allowing the Highlanders to carry a 1-0 lead into half-time.
NorthEast doubled their advantage nine minutes after the restart. Moyano’s free-kick caused problems in the box, with Satrústegui directing a header into a crowded area. Gogoi reacted quickest and produced a composed finish to register his second goal of the match.
The Highlanders continued to dominate and eventually added a third through Ajaraie. Gogoi turned provider this time, sending a perfectly weighted through ball into the forward’s path. Ajaraie calmly lifted the ball over the advancing goalkeeper to make it 3-0.
FC1 pulled one back in the 71st minute through Ilyas, who capitalised on a defensive lapse after being played through by Quersehi.
However, NorthEast remained in control until the final whistle, seeing out the game comfortably to maintain their perfect record and book their place in the quarter-finals.