NorthEast United FC shared spoils with Bengaluru FC in a pulsating 2-2 draw in their Indian Super League (ISL 2024-25) clash at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here Friday.
Club’s Moroccan sensation Alaaeddine Ajaraie (9’, 15’) created more history with his first-half brace but his strikes were cancelled out by Bengaluru FC’s Alberto Noguera (11’) and Ryan Williams (70’).
Ajaraie became the first-ever player to score in his first eight Indian Super League matches and he matched Kalu Uche’s streak of scoring in eight straight matches in doing so. Ajaraie now has 11 goals from 8 outings, the most in the league.
Highlanders, leading goal scorers (19 goals) of the league, were once again off to a fast start and took the lead through their talisman Ajaraie. Dinesh Singh put a long ball over the head of Bengaluru FC’s defence and Ajaraie made a perfectly-timed run to latch onto the ball and beat Gurpreet Singh Sandhu with a thumping shot.
Alberto Noguera levelled three minutes later. However, the Highlanders were ahead on the night after only four minutes. The visitors’ captain Michel Zabaco put a ball over Bengaluru’s backline in search of Jithin MS, who had already turned on the afterburners.
Gurpreet came out to sweep but his clearance hit Jithin and fell onto the path of Ajaraie, who pounced on the opportunity to put the ball into the back of the empty net for his 11th goal of the season. Juan Pedro Benali’s men went into half-time 2-1 up on the night.
In the second half, the chances were few and far between with Ajaraie missing his hat-trick by a whisker when he found himself one-on-one with Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
Gurmeet Singh, who had a stellar performance against Odisha FC in the previous fixture, put on another stellar show in the second half to deny Bengaluru FC.
The result takes NorthEast United FC to third in the table with 12 points, above FC Goa on a goal difference. The Highlanders so far have three wins, three draws and two losses. The Highlanders will remain in the top three heading into the international break should Chennaiyin FC fail to win against Mumbai City FC at home on Saturday.
