Guwahati: NorthEast United FC continued their title defence in the Durand Cup with a convincing 4-1 victory over Morning Star FC at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Sarusajai, Guwahati, on Saturday.
The defending champions produced another strong performance to register their second win in as many matches and strengthen their position in the race for a place in the knockout stage.
Alaaeddine Ajaraie was the star of the evening for the Highlanders, scoring twice, while substitutes Macarton Louis Nickson and debutant Etyan Gonzalez Morales added late goals to complete the win.
NorthEast United started aggressively under head coach Juan Pedro Benali, who opted for an attacking 4-2-4 formation. The Highlanders dominated possession from the opening minutes and kept Karbi Anglong Morning Star under pressure inside their own half.
The pressure resulted in an early breakthrough in the seventh minute. Junior Onguene Nkengue brought down Ajaraie inside the penalty area, prompting the referee to award NorthEast United a spot-kick.
Ajaraie stepped up and calmly converted the penalty, sending goalkeeper Jaspreet Singh the wrong way to give the defending champions a 1-0 lead.
Karbi Anglong Morning Star, however, responded against the run of play in the 28th minute. A misplaced pass from NorthEast United defender Soraisham Dinesh Singh handed possession to Nkengue, who made no mistake from close range to bring the debutants level.
The equaliser did little to change the overall flow of the contest, with NorthEast United continuing to control possession and create pressure.
Benali made two attacking changes at half-time, introducing Parthib Gogoi and Macarton Louis Nickson. The changes immediately paid dividends after the restart.
Just three minutes into the second half, Gogoi found Ajaraie inside the box. The Moroccan striker produced a composed left-footed finish to restore NorthEast United’s lead and score his fifth goal of the tournament.
NorthEast United continued to press for a third goal as Karbi Anglong struggled to cope with the defending champions’ attacking movement. Benali also brought on Spanish forward Etyan Gonzalez Morales shortly after the hour mark.
The Highlanders eventually extended their advantage in the 83rd minute. Buanthanglun Samte delivered a precise cross into the penalty area, with Macarton rising highest to head the ball into the net and make it 3-1.
NorthEast United added another goal deep into stoppage time. Abdul Rabeeh made an impressive run down the left flank before sending a low cross into the box, where Etyan calmly tapped the ball home.
The goal marked a memorable debut in Indian football for the Spanish forward and completed NorthEast United’s 4-1 victory.
The result extended the Highlanders’ unbeaten run in the to 14 matches, with their last defeat in the tournament coming in 2023. The two-time defending champions will now look to carry their winning momentum into their next Group F fixture.
For Karbi Anglong Morning Star, the match marked a challenging outing against the reigning champions, although the team showed its ability to compete after Nkengue’s first-half equaliser.