 "Durand Cup: NorthEast United beat Shillong Lajong 3-0 to qualify for maiden final")
NorthEast United defeated Shillong Lajong 3-0 in the first semi-final of the 2024 Durand Cup in Shillong on Monday. Goals from Thoi Singh, Ajaraie and Parthib Gogoi helped the Highlanders beat Shillong to qualify for their maiden final of the Durand Cup.
NorthEast United will face either Mohun Bagan Super Giant or Bengaluru FC in the Durand Cup final on Saturday. The second semi-final will be played on Tuesday.
Thoi (13th minute) and Ajaraie (33rd) scored in the first half for NorthEast United before Parthib (93rd minute) scored in second half stoppage time to take the visitors home.
Early on in the contest, Shillong won a couple of corners but failed to convert those. Despite failing to do so, Shillong maintained ball possession in the opposition half. In the 13th minute, Alaaeddine Ajaraie of Morocco won the ball from a throw-in, and then played a back-heel to Jithin MS on the left flank. Jithin then came up with a low-cross as he found Thoi Singh in the six-yard area, who then netted his team’s first goal.
In the 27th minute, Shillong Lajong got their best chance to equalise, when Kynsai Ryngkhlem attempted a shot from outside the box. It deflected from a NorthEast United defender, and while it looked like it was going towards the bottom-corner, goalkeeper Gurmeet made a crucial save and force the ball for a corner.
Ajaraie then doubled United’s lead in the 33rd minute with a brilliant run and an excellent finish past the Shillong goalkeeper. Ajaraie had collected the ball from Nestor Albaich from inside the Shillong box.
The off-side flag was then raised by the assistant referee, meaning the Moroccan’s celebrations were short-lived. Miguel Zabaco Tome, the NEUFC skipper, then went up to the assistant referee and questioned his decision. The referee soon changed his mind after an intense discussion with NEUFC players before awarding the goal to the visitors, leaving home fans disappointed.
NEUFC were defensively excellent in the second half and Shillong’s evening turned into a nightmare in the 90th minute after their defender Ronney Willson was handed a red card for dissent against the referee’s decision.
In the 93rd minute, Parthib Sundar Gogoi, a substitute, carried the ball down the left flank and netted a comfortable goal to all but confirm Shillong’s elimination from the Durand Cup.
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