New Delhi: Powered by Alaeddine Ajaraie’s hat-trick, NorthEast United rubbed salt into the wounds of Mohammedan Sporting with 6-0 drubbing in a round of 16 clash at the Kalinga Super Cup in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.
Mohammedan have been beset with money woes and fielded a weakened side with only one foreigner in their playing XI while their opponents had five. And the gulf in quality was evudent as NorthEast banged in goals one after the other, three each on either side of the break.
Jithin MS (3’) began the goal-plundering, before Indian Super League’s Golden Boot winner Ajaraie (18’, 57’, 90+2’) joined in the act, with Nestor Albiach Roger (42’) and Guillermo Fernandez Hierro (66’) also helping themselves.
Even before Mohammedan, who had finished at the bottom of the 13-team ISL on debut, could get their act together, NorthEast struck with Jithin pushing Nestor Albiach’s cross into an empty net from six yards to capitalise on a keeping error.
Mohammedan had a sighter at goal in the 12th minute as Lalremsanga’s shot was blocked by NorthEast keeper Gurmeet. They rued that missed opportunity as they conceded their second six minutes later.
Ajaraie turned to shake off his marker and drive Guillermo Hierro’s pass into the far corner and Nestor tripled that lead three minutes before half-time with a low shot into the bottom corner.
The third goal killed of the contest but NorthEast were in the mood for four goals as Ajaraie stabbed home from close range after Mohammedan keeper Subhajit Bhattacharjee had blocked Thoi Singh’s attempt.
Mohammedan could have pulled one back had Robi Hansda’s chip from thirty yards not bounced off the crossbar with Gurmeet beaten all ends up.
But the day belonged to NorthEast as Ajaraie set up Guillermo for a neat finish in the 66th minute and then completed his hat-trick , converting an injury-time penalty that he won after being tripped by Subhajit.
The quarter-final stage begins on Saturday with Kerala Blasters taking on ISL champions Mohun Bagan SG and FC Goa facing Punjab FC.
Alaeddine Ajaraie’s scored a hat-trick as NorthEast United thumped Mohammedan Sporting 6-0 to enter quarter-finals of the Kalinga Super Cup in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
