With this result, FC Goa move to the third position in the points table pipping Hyderabad FC on the virtue of better goal difference. NEUFC, on the other hand, stay where they were. NEUFC, Hyderabad FC and FC Goa are tied on 22 points now.
Points shared at the Tilak Maidan Stadium as NorthEast United FC came from behind twice to hold FC Goa to a 2-2 draw. The Gaurs took the lead on the 21st minute through Romario as he slotted home from a close range. However, their lead stayed for just about 20 minutes as Federico Gallego equalised for the Highlanders from the spot after Noguera tripped Luis Machado inside the box. Just like in the first half, NEUFC were the dominant side in the second and they could have taken the lead themselves but had no luck in front of the goal. Then on the 80th minute, FC Goa took the lead in the match against the run of play as Amarjit scored on his FCG debut. Then three minutes later, NEUFC won another penalty after Ashutosh Mehta was fouled inside the box. Gallega stepped up once again and he found the back of the net yet again.
AN INCREDIBLE FIGHT WITH NO VICTORS! 🤜🤛
— NorthEast United FC (@NEUtdFC) February 4, 2021
We move on to the next one with a point taken from #NEUFCG 🔴⚪️#StrongerAsOne pic.twitter.com/UUtrZT8Ebs
FULL-TIME
NEUFC 2-2 FC GOA
Points shared at the Tilak Maidan Stadium as NEUFC come back from behind twice to hold FC Goa to a 2-2 draw. Gallega scored a brace for NEUFC while Romario and Amarjit scored for FC Goa.
89' | Ashustosh saves NEUFC there with a crunching tackle.
SUBSTITUTION
NEUFC Change
86' | Khassa Camara out, Dylan Fox
YELLOW CARD
85' | Khassa Camara is booked by the referee
KISSES THE BAR!
85' |Ortiz cuts inside and takes a shot from the edge of the box and his efforts beat Subhasish and kisses the bar and goes out for a goal-kick.
GOAL
NEUFC 2-2 FC GOA
83' | NEUFC equalise as Gallego scores his second of the night from the penalty spot.
GOAL
NEUFC 1-2 FC GOA
80' | FC Goa take the lead again, Amarjit with the goal on his Goa debut. Ortiz fired in an inswinging corner and Amarjit heads it home from a close range.
SUBSTITUTION
NEUFC Change
78' | Deshorn Brown OUT, Idrissa Sylla IN
FC GOA Change
78' | Devendra Murgaokar OUT, Redeem Tlang IN
73' | Igor Angulo plays the ball to Devendra Murgaokar from the right flank. Murgaokar tries to play the ball back to the Spaniard but his pass is wayward and the ball rolls out for a throw-in to the Gaurs.
69' Gallego goes directly on goal from a freekick and Dheeraj dives well to his right to make the save!
68' | Adil Khan with a superb interception to prevent Deshorn Brown to set up Luis Machado in the middle. Had Machado got that ball, he would have been a tap-in away from handing NEUFC the lead.
YELLOW CARD
66' | Ashutosh Mehta is booked for a deliberate handball.
WHAT A CHANCE!
66' | Gallego fires in another ball into the middle of the box from the corner quadrant. It was a decent ball and it found its target Deshorn Brown who gets a free header but it is not on target.
63' | Beautiful footwork by Luis Machado there on the left-hand side to make some space and put in a cross into the box but the NEUFC attacker miscues his first-time volley
SUBSTITUTION
NEUFC Change
61' | Suhair Vadakkepeedika OUT, Ninthoinganba Meetei IN
60' | Thirty minutes plus added time left in the match, NEUFC need to find that winner in that much time if they want to break into the top 4. This is what the stats indicate at the stroke of the hour. As expected FC Goa have more possession and have played more passes but NEUFC have had more shots on goal and more chances created.
59' | The subsequent free-kick is taken by Gallego and his delivery almost falls for Deshorn Brown but Dheeraj some out and punches it away.
58' | Adil Khan pulls down Luis M\achado as NEUFC win a free-kick on the left flank. Adil is lucky to escape a booking there.
57' | Ortiz goes for goal himself but is over.
56' | FC Goa win a free-kick just on the edge of the box as Ashutosh clips Ortiz.
50' | NEUFC with another long throw-in. This time the throw-in goes over everyone's head for a goal-kick. No NEUFC player was there in the far post!
47' | A positive start for the Highlanders, much like in the first half. Deshorn Brown almost puts Dheeraj in a spot of bother there. NEUFC won a throw-in, it is directed towards Gallego, who flicks it on for Brown. The Jamaican receives the ball and fired in a left-footed volley. However, it flies just over the bar.
SUBSTITUTION
Second change for FC Goa
46' | Alexander Jesuraj OUT, Amarjit Singh IN
SECOND-HALF
46' | Action resumes at the Tilak Maidan Stadium. NEUFC have a lot to play for in the second half. They need a win to break into the top 4.
HALF-TIME
NEUFC 1-1 FC GOA
All square at the break as Federico Gallego equalised for NorthEast United FC after Romario handed FC Goa the lead. A lot to play for in the second half.
45' | Clash od bodies there right on the midway line. Gallego is on the ground, looks like an elbow there from Savior.
SO CLOSE!
43' | Igor Angulo launches a vicious shot from just outside the box and it just whizzes over the crossbar.
GOAL
41' | Gallego equalises for NEUFC from the penalty spot. A cool calm finish from the Highlanders' no. 10 as he sent Dheeraj the other way.
ISL 2020-21 Highlights NorthEast United FC vs FC Goa: Points shared at the Tilak Maidan Stadium as NorthEast United FC came from behind twice to hold FC Goa to a 2-2 draw. The Gaurs took the lead on the 21st minute through Romario as he slotted home from a close range. However, their lead stayed for just about 20 minutes as Federico Gallego equalised for the Highlanders from the spot after Noguera tripped Luis Machado inside the box. Just like in the first half, NEUFC were the dominant side in the second and they could have taken the lead themselves but had no luck in front of the goal. Then on the 80th minute, FC Goa took the lead in the match against the run of play as Amarjit scored on his FCG debut. Then three minutes later, NEUFC won another penalty after Ashutosh Mehta was fouled inside the box. Gallega stepped up once again and he found the back of the net yet again. With this result, FC Goa rise to the third position in the points table pipping Hyderabad FC on the virtue of better goal difference. NEUFC, on the other hand, stay where they were. NEUFC, Hyderabad FC and FC Goa are tied on 22 points now.
ISL 2020-21 FULL COVERAGE | ISL 2020-21 SCHEDULE | ISL 2020-21 POINTS TABLE
Back in contention for a playoff berth after a hat-trick of wins, a buoyant NorthEast United FC will look to enter the top four when they face FC Goa in an Indian Super League fixture on Thursday. The Highlanders had found themselves in the wrong half of the table and there was uncertainty surrounding their playoff hopes after the departure of Gerard Nus.
But three wins on the trot under interim coach Khalid Jamil has given them a new lease of life and they will hope to prove their credentials once again at the Tilak Maidan stadium. Both sides have accumulated 21 points after 14 games with fifth-placed NEUFC just below their opponents.
While NEUFC have been unbeaten in their last four games, Goa have not suffered a loss in their previous seven matches, making this an encounter to savour for the neutrals. "We have analysed them," said NEUFC assistant coach Alison Kharsyntiew.
"We have to approach the game well, put our best effort and try to win." Under Jamil, NEUFC won have three matches in a row, a first for them. "I would like to give credit to coach Khalid, the technical director, the coaching staff and all the players who have done very well. We haven't changed anything," Kharsyntiew said.
"We have just strengthened our attacking and defensive principles and that's the only thing. We've been trying to play creative football." The two sides played out a 1-1 draw earlier in the season and Goa coach Juan Ferrando is expecting NEUFC to come hard at them.
"The (NorthEast) players are happy, they are enjoying every game, every minute," he said. "The ambience in their dressing room will be nice. They won the difficult games. The players are free on the pitch. They have gained a lot of positives." Goa will also miss the services of Edu Bedia (suspended) and Brandon Fernandes (injured), making their task difficult.
Ferrando admitted he's feeling the pressure of the playoff race. "I feel pressure all the time. It's good for the Indian league because more or less there is a difference of 3-4 points maximum between teams," he said. "It's good for us because we aren't relaxed. Every game is important and our mentality is to get the three points."
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