Jamshedpur FC beats NorthEast United in sudden death, enters Super Cup 2025 semifinals
Jamshedpur FC (JFC) made it two knockout wins in two against NorthEast United FC (NEUFC) after triumphing in sudden death in their Super Cup 2025 quarterfinal at the Kalinga Stadium here on Sunday.
After the regulation time ended goalless, JFC edged NEUFC 6-4 in the penalty shootout, with defender Asheer Akhtar missing the decisive spot kick.
Both teams made their attacking intent clear in the opening minutes, with NEUFC's Guillermo Fernández and JFC's Javier Siverio testing the goalkeepers with efforts from outside the box.
But as the game progressed, the Highlanders had clearer sights at goal.
Indian Super League's (ISL) top-scorer this season, Alaaeddine Ajaraie, who was kept quiet by the JFC's defence in their previous meeting, nearly opened the scoring with a free kick in the 14th minute.
The Moroccan's shot floated over the wall and seemed to be heading into the side netting, until Albino Gomes scampered across the goalline to get his fingertips on the ball and push it onto the right post.
At the other end, NEUFC's midfielders Mayakkannan and Mohammed Ali Bemammer stuck like glue to their counterparts Javi Hernández and Siverio, intercepting passes and giving them no space to breathe and create chances.
Ajaraie, who was given the liberty to freely roam around the pitch, kept switching wings with Jithin MS in an attempt to shake things up.
The plan almost bore fruit close to the half-hour mark, when Ajaraie played Jithin through into the box, where he lashed his left foot at the ball from a tight angle. Once again, Gomes kept his eye on the ball and stood his ground to punch the ball away from danger.
Super Cup 2025: Chhangte winner helps Mumbai City beat Inter Kashi 1-0, enters semifinals
The two combined again in the dying seconds of the first half, with Jithin turning provider this time. He curled the ball into the middle from the right, where Ajaraie rose the highest to meet it before sending it just wide of the top right corner.
Jithin almost scored a stunner six minutes into the second half after a clearance from Rei Tachikawa dropped into his path. The winger caught the ball sweetly on the volley, but ended up sending it whizzing past the left post.
JFC's best chance of the game came in the 73rd minute when Hernandez broke away from Mayakkannan on the right before putting in a teasing delivery into the six-yard box.
Jordan Murray did well to reach the ball but failed to generate power in his header, allowing Gurmeet Singh to gather the ball easily.
As the minutes ticked by, the game became a scrappy affair played in the middle of the pitch with neither team coming close to a winner.
In the subsequent shootout, both teams missed two penalties each out of the designated five, sending the game into a sudden death where Asheer ended up skying his penalty to send JFC into a third consecutive Super Cup semifinal.
The Men of Steel will take on Mumbai City FC in the final-four clash after it beat Inter Kashi 1-0 earlier in the day.
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