NEU’s Ajaraie brace sees off Mumbai, end year on a high

mumbai: NorthEast United FC defeated Mumbai City FC 3-0 at the Mumbai Football Arena in an Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 match here on Monday.

This was the first time that the Highlanders triumphed over the Islanders in their last seven ISL meetings.

Despite keeping 65.2 per cent of the possession, Mumbai City FC could take only three shots on target, as compared to seven by the visitors.

The home team took 31 crosses, but were unable to muster concrete chances in the final third.

The match started with NorthEast United FC netting in the 46th second through Alaaeddine Ajaraie, in what turned out to be the fastest goal by the Highlanders in an ISL game, beating the previous best by VP Suhair (01:42 vs Mohun Bagan Super Giant on December 21, 2021).

The visitors won the ball back from Nikolaos Karelis in the opening move of the game, before Parthib Gogoi brought down a long ball with a delicate touch on the right flank and sent in a probing cross that Ajaraie nestled into the centre of the goal from close range.

The strike broke Mumbai City FC’s four-game streak of keeping the slate clean, and it also resulted in the second-fastest goal conceded by the Islanders in ISL history after Cleiton Silva’s goal in 25 seconds on February 15, 2021

against them.