Bambolim, Oct 26 (PTI) NorthEast United FC were held to a 2-2 draw by Inter Kashi in the opening clash of Group B of the AIFF Super Cup here on Sunday.
The two-time Durand Cup champions struck twice through Alaaeddine Ajaraie (18’) and Miguel Zabaco (40’) while Inter Kashi, fielding an all-Indian line-up, were first to break the deadlock through Harmanpreet Singh (5’) and again struck back through Karthik Panicker (74’) to hold the Highlanders.
The first half was intense. Action kicked off at the speed of light just five minutes into the game when Inter Kashi got an early breakthrough.
Harmanpreet Singh slotted home a loose ball, giving the I-League champions the lead and leaving the Highlanders’ backline unsettled.
NorthEast’s persistence bore fruit in the 18th minute when their Moroccan forward Ajaraei fired home the equaliser with a fierce first-time shot after getting on the end of Tondonba Singh’s curling cross from the left.
Capitalising on the momentum built, NorthEast dominated possession, stretching the Inter Kashi defence by utilising both flanks with consistent passes.
In the 40th minute, the sustained pressing was rewarded when Miguel Zabaco’s header powered past Inter Kashi keeper Shubham Dhas to give the Highlanders a 2-1 lead going into half-time.
In the second half, Inter Kashi began to grow into the game after the hour mark as their passes grew sharper and movements more coordinated.
In the 66th minute, Inter Kashi’s Sumeet Passi advanced on the right, attempting a long-range shot but missing the target by inches. The Highlanders looked sluggish by then, their tempo fading visibly in the rain.
The moment that Inter Kashi were waiting for arrived in the 74th minute.
A rare breakdown of the NorthEast defence left space for Karthik Panicker to capitalise on by sliding the ball neatly into the net to level the score at 2-2.
FC Goa beat Jamshedpur ================== On a rain-soaked Sunday night, FC Goa began their Super Cup title defence with a composed 2-0 victory over Jamshedpur FC in a Group B encounter at the PJN Stadium, Fatorda.
Goals from Javier Siverio and Dejan Drazic on either side of half-time sealed a deserved win.
Heavy rains lashed the venue throughout the evening. The second half kick-off was delayed by 24 minutes due to the downpour, but the Gaurs showed the same calm authority that made them champions last season.
By the end of the night, they had not only secured three points but also sent a clear message to the rest of the group.
This report includes content sourced from Press Trust of India (PTI), edited for clarity and context.
