Latest news with #NEUFC
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Alaaeddine to stay at NEUFC for another season
Kolkata: Twenty nine goals in 32 the jaw-dropping stats that Alaaeddine Ajaraie produced in his first-ever season with NorthEast United FC . And to the delight of the Highlanders supporters, the ISL Golden Boot winner has decided to stay on with NEUFC for the 2025-26 season."NorthEast United FC are delighted to announce that Alaaeddine Ajaraie, the 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL) Golden Boot and the Golden Ball winner, will stay with the club for the 2025-26 season," NEUFC announced in a statement on Moroccan striker had joined the ISL club at the start of the 2024-25 campaign on a contract that included an option for a second year, "contingent upon meeting specific performance criteria"."Following a stellar debut season in Indian football, the Moroccan forward fulfilled those requirements, automatically activating the contract extension. Ajaraie was also keen to continue his journey with the club and had expressed his desire to stay on and build on the momentum throughout the season," the club added in the 32-year-old scored on his debut for NEUFC in a Durand Cup match against BSF and continued his form throughout the tournament — including a crucial goal, an assist and a strike in the penalty shoot-out against Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the played a pivotal role in winning NEUFC their first silverware with the Durand Cup and delivered a record-breaking 23 goals and seven assists in 25 matches that earned him the ISL Golden Ball and Golden Moroccan capped off the season with his first hat-trick for NEUFC during a dominant 6-0 win over Mohammedan SC in Kalinga Super Cup."I am happy here. NorthEast feels like home now. My teammates and the staff played a crucial role in my successful first season and I am confident we can achieve even more together next season. I am eager to continue this journey and win significant titles with this fantastic club," Ajaraie a lot of interest from various ISL clubs, Ajaraie's decision to continue his journey with NEUFC has also delighted head coach Juan Pedro Benali."We are absolutely thrilled that Alaaeddine will continue with us. His impact, both on the field with his fantastic performances and off it with his exemplary character and support for his teammates, has been immense. He's a true role model for our young players and we eagerly anticipate another successful season together," Benali added.
The Hindu
27-04-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
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.
The Hindu
26-04-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Underdog Kashi will hope to spring another surprise; NEUFC faces JFC
Inter Kashi will look to cause another upset in the Super Cup 2025 when it takes on Mumbai City FC in their quarterfinal at the Kalinga Stadium here on Sunday. Kashi, the only I-League side remaining in the tournament, secured a spot after stunning Indian Super League Cup runner-up Bengaluru FC on penalties in the first round. Assistant coach Carlos Fonseca, who will be standing in for Antonio Lopez Habas, said that his side is enjoying being the underdog. 'When you are a favourite, there is an extra pressure to show something different. So, for us, it is better because we can play freely,' Fonseca said during the pre-match press conference. However, Kashi will be wary of a resurgent MCFC that rode on the back of captain Lallianzuala Chhangte's brace to beat Chennaiyin FC 4-0 in the round-of-16. NEUFC faces JFC In the evening showdown, NorthEast United FC will seek retribution when it takes on Jamshedpur FC in the final game of the quarterfinal stage, after it was denied an ISL semifinal spot last month following a 0-2 playoff loss to the same side. NEUFC hammered Mohammedan Sporting 6-0, while JFC beat Hyderabad FC 2-0 to book their spots in the final eight. NEUFC head coach Juan Pedro Benali, though, dismissed the idea of revenge and noted that the result will go down to the minor details. 'There is no revenge. This is another knock-out competition and has nothing to do with the ISL. We know how Jamshedpur plays, and they know how we play. So, in the end, it will be a matter of details,' Benali said.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NEUFC hit MSC for a six, set up quarters date with JFC
Notwithstanding the heartbreak of the ISL playoffs, the Highlanders fans got rights for the largest cheer in the pre-quarterfinals of Kalinga Super Cup with their star striker Alaaeddine Ajaraie scoring his first-ever hat-trick for the club as North East United FC routed Mohammedan Sporting 6-0 on a hot and humid afternoon in Bhubaneswar. The treble from Ajaraie (18', 57', 90+3'), coupled with the opener from Jithin MS (3') and strikes from Nestor Albiach (42') and Guillermo Fernandez (66') ensured that Juan Pedro Benali's men romped to the quarterfinals with a show of confidence at Kalinga Stadium on Thursday. It was a disappointing end to Mohammedan's campaign that got very little time for preparation with Mehrajuddin Wadoo's wards reaching the Odisha capital just three days back. Later in the evening, a strong Jamshedpur FC contingent set up a quarterfinal with Benali's NEUFC by beating Hyderabad FC 2-0 in the second match of the day. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Despite boasting a squad with all six foreigners, Khalid Jamil's men faced a tough contest from the all-Indian Hyderabad side that stayed at the back to curb all of Jamshedpur's efforts for a breakthrough. The deadlock was broken just before the break when Ashutosh Mehta was fouled inside the box by Manoj Mohammed and Javier Siverio made no mistake in sending goalkeeper Arshdeep Singh the other way to convert from the spot. It was a delightful move started by Siverio outside the box that led to a pass to Jordan Murray, who sent a low cross to an onrushing Stephen Eze who guided it into the goal. Replays, however, showed that the Nigerian was offside. While NEUFC's first and third goals were results of serious defensive lapses on the part of their rivals with an unmarked Jithin tapping in an Albiach cross inside the box in the third minute and the Spaniard turning scorer after another defensive error just before half-time, their second was a testament to the skill of Moroccan Ajaraie in front of goal. The change of ends did not change the course of the game as the ISL Golden Boot winner powered in a rebound near goalmouth in the 57th minute and played provider to Spaniard Fernanadez nine minutes later. Ajaraie completed his hat-trick from the spot after he was brought down inside the box in injury time.
