It’s the final home game of the calendar year for NorthEast United FC. Fittingly, the Highlanders will face table-toppers Mohun Bagan SG at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, on Sunday.
NorthEast United FC come into this crunch fixture after a narrow 1-0 away defeat against East Bengal and will be looking to turn things around against another Kolkata side, albeit with home fans cheering them on.
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NorthEast United FC had prevailed 4-3 on penalties in the Durand Cup final, staging a stunning second-half comeback. In the ISL fixture, Mohun Bagan had prevailed 3-2. The reverse fixture is thus being built up as a ‘revenge clash’. However, Juan Pedro Benali played down the revenge talk.
“There’s no revenge in football. Every game is a new game in football with 3 points at stake. Sometimes, when you go for revenge, you go with your heart, but we must think with our brains. We need to be calm and positive,” Benali said.
“As I always say, there are many small games in one game, and if you win those games, you win. The wolves are ready to fight and to give 120 per cent. They will not think about the last time, they will only think about this game and that’s the most important thing,” he said before adding that the team is confident heading into the crunch tie.
Asheer Akhtar, who has been rock solid at the back, echoed the coach’s feeling. “It’s not the first time we are playing against them, we’ve already faced them twice. The coaching staff has prepared us very well for this game, we go with our plan and tactics,” he said.
NorthEast United FC are among the highest goal scorers in the league (21 goals) and have often hit the opposition with their fast starts. Forward Alaaeddine Ajaraie is the leading goal scorer with 11 goals in 10 games. The Moroccan has faced Mohun Bagan twice and has found the back of the net on both occasions and would look to add another to his tally.
Ajaraie is also second on the chances created list (18) for NorthEast United FC behind fullback Buanthanglun Samte (20). Ajaraie and Jithin MS, who both have four assists against their names, can match Bagan’s Greg Stuart for most assists should they make a goal contribution.
NorthEast United FC are currently sixth in the table. However, a victory against Mohun Bagan will take NorthEast United FC to 18 points and depending on the victory margin, they can climb up to the third in the table, something which the Highlanders would aim for in their final home game of 2024.
