NorthEast United FC and Punjab FC played out a 1-1 draw in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 on Friday at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, Assam.
Punjab FC retained 49.8 percent of possession and had two shots on target, but Khaiminthang Lhungdim’s equalizer in the 82nd minute was enough to break a streak of four straight defeats and settle for a point.
The Highlanders were on the offensive for the first 30 minutes, with their key creative team being Jithin MS, who has five assists to his name this season. However, he missed the chance to score his first goal of the season from close range.
READ ALSO | Stewart, Petratos available for selection for Kolkata Derby, says head coach Mohun Bagan Molina
The hosts scored their first goal in the 24th minute thanks to Alaaeddine Ajaraie’s clinical finish. A long ball aimed at the PFC defense was wrongly received by Melroy Melwin Assisi and went straight to Macarton Nickson. Spotting an opportunity, Nickson lunged forward from long range and fired a powerful shot that was parried by Punjab FC goalkeeper Muheet Shabir Khan. However, the rebound was kind to Ajaraie, who skillfully avoided the offside trap and calmly placed the ball in the net, giving his team an early lead.
“Punjab FC mirrored NorthEast United FC’s aggressive start to the second half. However, it was not possible to prevail against Górale. It benefited from the introduction of fresh legs as the game entered its final stages. Muhammad Suhail F came on in the 75th minute and was sent on seven minutes later.
He pounced on the attacking third and fired a powerful shot that forced Gurmeet into a save. However, the goalkeeper couldn’t fully control the ball and the ball made its way to Khaiminthang Lhungdim who delicately placed the ball into the bottom right corner.
With this result, NEUFC moves up to fifth place in the ISL 2024-25 table with 23 points after 15 matches, while Punjab FC remains in eighth place with 19 points after 14 matches.
