NorthEast United FC were held to a 2-2 draw by Inter Kashi in the opening clash of Group B of the AIFF Super Cup on Sunday, while FC Goa began their Super Cup title defence with a composed 2-0 victory over Jamshedpur FC in a Group B encounter at the PJN Stadium, Fatorda.
The two-time Durand Cup champions scored twice through Alaaeddine Ajaraie (18’) and Miguel Zabaco (40’), while Inter Kashi, with an all-Indian line-up, first broke the deadlock through Harmanpreet Singh (5’) and later equalised through Karthik Panicker (74’).
The first half was intense, with action kicking off just five minutes into the game when Inter Kashi gained an early lead. Harmanpreet Singh slotted home a loose ball, giving the I-League champions the lead and unsettling
the Highlanders’ defence.
NorthEast’s persistence paid off in the 18th minute when their Moroccan forward Ajaraei fired home the equaliser with a fierce first-time shot after receiving Tondonba Singh’s curling cross from the left.
Building on this momentum, NorthEast dominated possession, stretching Inter Kashi’s defence by utilising both flanks with consistent passes. In the 40th minute, their sustained pressure was rewarded when Miguel Zabaco’s header powered past Inter Kashi’s keeper Shubham Dhas, giving the Highlanders a 2-1 lead at half-time.
In the second half, Inter Kashi began to grow into the game after the hour mark as their passes became sharper and their movements more coordinated. In the 66th minute, Inter Kashi’s Sumeet Passi advanced on the right, attempting a long-range shot that missed the target by inches. The Highlanders appeared sluggish by then, with their tempo visibly fading in the rain.
The moment Inter Kashi were waiting for came in the 74th minute. A rare breakdown in NorthEast’s defence left space for Karthik Panicker, who neatly slid the ball into the net to level the score at 2-2.
Goals from Javier Siverio and Dejan Drazic on either side of half-time secured a deserved win. Heavy rains lashed the venue throughout the evening, delaying the second-half kick-off by 24 minutes due to the downpour, but the Gaurs maintained the calm authority that made them champions last season.
By the end of the night, they had not only secured three points but also sent a clear message to the rest of the group.
(With Inputs From PTI)
