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NorthEast United FC secured their place in the semi-finals of the Hero Super Cup 2023 with a dominant 6-3 victory over Churchill Brothers at the EMS Corporation Stadium in Kerala on Wednesday, April 19.
Wilmar Jordan was the standout performer for the Highlanders, scoring four goals and leading his team to victory.
Despite Churchill having more possession in the early stages, the Highlanders' supremacy was evident, with Jordan proving to be a thorn in the I-League side's defense. The Colombian's physical presence and skillful movement made him a constant threat.
The 32-year-old forward could have easily scored a hat-trick in the first half, but he settled for two goals before adding a third six minutes into the second half to complete his treble.
Jordan's first goal was a screamer from long range that left Churchill goalkeeper Nora Fernandes with no chance. He added his second in the 43rd minute, taking advantage of the opposition custodian being out of position.
NorthEast United went into the break with a 2-0 lead as the Goan side looked completely directionless for the most part.
NorthEast United FC's Wilmar Jordan continues his attacking onslaught in the second half against Churchill Brothers
As mentioned earlier, Wilmar Jordan tripled NorthEast United's lead six minutes after the break before Churchill briefly threatened to make a comeback, scoring two goals in six minutes through Kingslee Fernandes and Martin Chaves.
But Jordan quickly ended any hopes of a turnaround with his fourth goal of the day in the 70th minute, a low drive that beat Fernandes.
NorthEast United continued to dominate, adding two more goals through Gani Nigam and Jithin MS to seal a 6-3 victory.
Jordan's performance was undoubtedly the highlight of the match, and he was rightfully awarded the Man of the Match trophy for the four goals he scored.
With the victory, the Highlanders finished level on points with Mumbai City FC in Group D but advanced to the semi-finals on the basis of their better head-to-head record.
In the first semi-final, Jamshedpur FC will take on Bengaluru FC on Friday, April 21, while NorthEast United will face Odisha FC on Saturday, April 22.
