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Thanks to a brace from Bartholomew Ogbeche, Hyderabad FC routed NorthEast United FC 5-1 on Monday in Match 28 of the Indian Super League (ISL). NEUFC will be disappointed with the harrowing final scoreline. Their players and the coach will not have much to show for their performance on the pitch.
Throughout the game, Manuel Marquez Roca's side seemed to be one step ahead of the Highlanders. Utilizing their early momentum, the Nizams drew first blood through a Chinglensana Singh header off a free-kick from Edu Bedia in the 12th minute.
After missing his first attempt at goal a couple of minutes earlier, Ogbeche doubled Hyderabad's lead in the 27th minute. He got on to a long ball from deep and buried it past the keeper.
Two goals down, NorthEast United hit the panic button as they attempted to bring down the deficit. They eventually did. In the 43rd minute, Laldanmawia Ralte tucked the ball home after Hyderabad failed to clear a long throw-in.
After the break, NEUFC came close on multiple occasions to equalizing the scores and looked like the ISL team with purpose. However, Ogbeche buried NEUFC's chances and hopes in the 78th minute. He spun past a defender and thumped the ball from almost 25 yards out to restore the two-goal cushion for Hyderabad FC.
Before the final whistle, the Nizams added two more through Aniket Jadhav and Javier Siverio to seal an emphatic victory.
On that note, let's take a look at four things we learned from the match:
#4 NEUFC missing Federico Gallego's creativity upfront
Federico Gallego played only 25 minutes for the Highlanders in the ISL 2021-22 season before suffering a season-ending injury. The potential impact the Uruguayan playmaker could've made created waves across the NorthEast fanbase.
The 31-year-old first started for NorthEast United in a 2-1 defeat against Chennaiyin FC. Even in the early phases, Gallego oozed class with his ball progression and crafty passes.
Since his injury, NorthEast United have looked toothless going forward and will soon need to find a replacement. The absence of a creator like Gallego not only cuts down on NorthEast United FC's threat going forward, it also hampers their ability to control the midfield.
#3 Bartholomew Ogbeche firing all cylinders for Hyderabad FC
Bartholomew Ogbeche has for years been one of the most consistent strikers in the ISL. He proved his worth yet again with a clinical brace tonight.
With five goals and a stellar conversion rate of 38%, the Nigerian has become the joint top scorer of the league this season. He shares the spot with Mumbai City FC's Igor Angulo.
The ability of the 37-year-old to convert half chances into breathtaking goals has given Hyderabad FC an edge in the hunt for their first ISL title.
Click here to view today's ISL match.
#2 Hyderabad FC full-backs dominating the game
While Ogbeche snapped the brace, right-back Ashish Rai was adjudged the man of the match and not surprisingly. The young Indian defender, along with his fullback partner Akash Mishra, has been pivotal in how Hyderabad pin the opposition's wings down.
Ashish Rai ruled the roost on the right flank as he overlapped Nikhil Poojary on multiple occasions. He completely outmuscled the experienced Tondonba Singh in the NorthEast squadron.
Rai created multiple chances down the flank with his accurate crosses. Although Akash Mishra didn't have a similar attacking output, his dangerous runs kept NorthEast in check.
#1 NorthEast United FC poor in transitions; Khassa Camara's absence felt heavily
The Highlanders were completely outplayed in all quarters, but they missed Khassa Camara's presence in midfield the most. Camara missed the game with an injury that left NorthEast United FC vulnerable in transition.
The likes of Mohamed Irshad and Pragyan Sundar Gogoi couldn't cope with Edu Garcia. The Spaniard was efficiently pulling all the strings in the middle of the park for Hyderabad FC.
Khassa Camara's importance was specifically highlighted in the encounter against FC Goa where NorthEast snatched the three points.
