'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Northeast United FC travelled to Jamshedpur to play Jamshedpur FC, in what was an important game for both sides but for utterly different reasons. While Jamshedpur wanted the win to strengthen their spot in the top 4, while NEUFC wanted the win to salvage some pride.
The game started in a fast-paced mode, with Jamshedpur winning a corner in the very first minute. After that, though Northeast grew into the game with the Highlanders keeping 65% of the possession and piling on the pressure on the Jamshedpur goal. Northeast ended the half on a high despite being unable to score a goal. Both the teams went into the halftime break goalless.
Steve Coppell made a brilliant change at halftime by bringing on Mehtab Hussain in place of Ashim Biswas. The decision paid dividends almost immediately as Wellington, who was pushed further up the pitch with Mehtab’s inclusion, scored an absolute screamer to win the game 1-0 for Jamshedpur. Northeast will be livid at themselves for losing the game as they were, by far, the better side in terms of everything from chances created to ball possession.
On that note, lets take a look at the player ratings
Jamshedpur FC
Subrata Paul (8/10): Subrata made some stunning saves in the first half to deny the likes of Lenn, Marcinho and Dika. He made three superb saves which were bound to end in the back of the net. Wasn’t called into action much in the second half.
Souvik Chakraborty (6/10): Souvik was busy throughout the first half, he made some darting runs forward to help out Jerry in the attack, but he was beaten on a couple of occasions by the likes of Dika and Maic Sema.
Tiri (7.5/10): Tiri was solid in the first half, he made a crucial last-ditch clearance of a Marcinho run, he also made some solid tackles and stopped a lot of NEUFC attacks through his brilliant positioning. Was solid during the second half.
Andre Bikey (6.5/10): Andre Bikey made some crunching tackles throughout the first half, but he was beaten on a couple of occasions by the pace of Marcinho and Lenn. Andrey made up for his first-half drawbacks and looked solid in the second half.
Raju Yumnam (6/10): Raju had a torrid first half, as he was schooled by Len and constantly was beaten by Lenn and Dika who kept swapping positions.
Memo (7.5/10): Memo had a busy first half, as he was often seen chasing NEUFC players all across the pitch. He put in some good blocks and won a few second balls. Memo was solid during the second half and won a lot of second balls and his distribution was also very good.
Wellington (8.5/10): The saying that ex-players tend to score against their former teams was again proved by Wellington when he scored a screamer, probably the goal of the season with a bicycle kick that ended up in the back of the net beating Rehenesh all ends up. It was the second half change in position that turned his fortunes as he was pushed forward rather than playing as the second defensive screen.
Jerry (6.5/10): Jerry has improved leaps and bounds through the ISL season as he has started playing some intelligent football, he didn’t give the ball away cheaply and tracked back very well during the NEUFC pressure spell in the first half. He also put in some crosses for his attackers.
Bikash Jairu (6/10): Bikash worked hard throughout the game and beat Nirmal a few times, but it was defensive duties that needs work. Bikash also changed his positions very well throughout the game to keep the NEUFC defenders guessing.
Ashim Biswas (5.5/10): Ashim started only his third game in the ISL, he had a bright start to the game-winning some important balls high up the pitch, but looked out of colour in the later stages of the first half when NEUFC were having a major share of the ball possession.
Izu Azuka (6.5/10): It was his long throw that created the chances for Wellington to score the goal. He had a major impact on the game in the second half.He made the likes of Jose and Sambinha be on their toes for most parts of the second half.
Northeast United FC
Rehenesh (6.5/10): Rehnesh made a good save in the ending stages of the game to deny Jamshedpur a two-goal lead, other than that he didn’t have much to do during the course of the game, and made some regulation saves.
Robert Lalthlamuana (7/10): Robert was troubled by Jerry and his footwork but Robert though did make some good forward runs and provided some good balls for his midfielders and forwards.
Sambinha (7.5/10): Sambinha had a big role to play in the first half where NEUFC had lion's share of the ball and created more chances. He though did look beat in the second half as the likes of Izu and Farukh went past him with ease.
Jose Goncalves (7.5/10): Jose had a great chance provide NEUFC with the lead from a Dika corner, he also provided a great headed pass for Nirmal to score the equaliser but the Sikkimese defender failed to convert the chance.
Nirmal Chettri (6/10): Nirmal missed a golden chance to equalise for the Highlanders. Nirmal tried hard to keep the likes Bikash Jairu quiet but wasn’t much successful as he was more often than not beaten all ends up.
Martin Diaz (6/10): Diaz had a good first half, as he won a lot of the second balls in the first half, he had a commanding presence in the first, but seemed to fade away in the second half. He was substituted after NEUFC went behind to accommodate Columbian striker John Jairo.
Rowlin Borges (6/10): Rowlin did well to keep his defensive line nice and tidy, he did win a few second balls and loose balls, but his passing was really poor as he made silly miss passes in some dangerous positions.
Seiminlen Doungel (6.5/10): Got a uncalled for yellow card for kicking the ball away, apart from that he was lively in the first half, he kept on changing his positions from one flank to other and sometimes down the middle, he created a few brilliant chances for his teammates and had a brilliant shot saved by Subrata ‘Spiderman’ Paul. He had some good chances in the second half but failed to utilise them.
Lalrindika Ralte (7/10): Dika could have been sent off in the first as first he was booked for a deliberate handball and after a few moments later he went studs showing into a tackle which should have merited a yellow card, but the referee took a lenient approach and helped NEUFC keep 11 players on the pitch. Dika though did have a great shot on goal only to see Subrata Paul fist it away. Dika also created some good chances for his teammates.
Maic Sema (6/10): Maic didn’t have much to do during his time on the pitch, he didn’t have much of the ball, and his runs weren’t very effective.
Marcinho (7/10): Marcinho had a lot of chances in the first half and also in the second half but couldn’t convert his chances, he also looked to go down easily which didn’t help his side much. He had two brilliant shots saved by Spiderman Subrata Paul.
