Delhi held to second consecutive draw after 1-1 against NorthEast
Delhi Dynamos FC were held to a 1-1 draw by NorthEast United FC in front of more than 27,000 fans at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi on Saturday. Kean Lewis scored for the Dynamos in the first half and Emiliano Alfaro scored his fourth goal of Hero Indian Super League 2016 in the second period to share the spoils after a pulsating encounter in the capital city.
It took the hosts just two minutes to register their first attempt on target. A Lewis pass made its way to Marcelinho, whose shot from range was collected comfortably by Subrata Paul in NorthEast United FC’s goal.
The visitors first shot on target came in the 15th minute after Alfaro picked up a ball on the right flank and cut in field before shooting at goal. His effort failed to trouble Antonio Doblas in goal, however, after the sting was taken away from the shot following a deflection off Delhi’s defence.
The Dynamos went straight up the other end to force Paul into a double save seconds later. Marcelinho first fired in a low cross after getting to the byline. Emerson Moura tried to guide the cross into the net but Gustavo Lazzaretti deflected the ball behind for a corner. Marcos Tebar then headed the resulting corner wide of the target after being left unmarked in the box.
Paul was forced into a triple save in the 19th minute after initially parrying Milan Singh’s shot from distance straight to Lewis, who forced the NorthEast goalkeeper into another save. The ball then fell to Richard Gadze, who also tested Paul but was denied in the space of seconds.
The Highlanders almost capitalised on a double mistake by Ruben Rocha soon after to take the lead. Katsumi’s first shot went narrowly wide of the far post, while Alfaro’s attempt at an open goal after Nicolas Velez had squared the ball to him was also wide of goal.
The opening goal came in the 38th minute from a Delhi corner. Paul completely missed his attempted punch of Marcelinho’s corner as the ball fell nicely for Lewis. The Delhi winger trapped the ball expertly and finished into an open net to make it 1-0 for the Lions.
NorthEast had a chance of equalising in the first minute of added time at the end of the opening period after an exquisite pass by Romaric found Holicharan Narzary on the right. Narzary’s cross found Velez in the box, who headed on target only for Rocha to make a goal-line clearance and keep it at 1-0 in favour of the home side going into the break.
Paul was called into action four minutes into the second half after Marcelinho picked out Gadze with a ball from deep inside his half. The Ghanaian striker controlled the ball brilliantly and ran past Didier Zokora but Paul was quick off his line to make the save.
It turned out to be crucial with the Highlanders finding the equaliser just two minutes later. Velez dispossessed Rocha before squaring to Alfaro again. This time the Uruguayan made no mistake as he drilled the ball in between Chinglensana Singh’s feet at the second time of asking to make it 1-1.
Gadze went through on goal again in the 56th minute but Paul had his near post covered perfectly to deny the Ghanaian. Alfaro then blazed over the crossbar six minutes later for NorthEast after Velez had threaded in another superb ball to put the Uruguayan through on goal.
The last chance of note in the game fell to substitute Florent Malouda in injury time. Delhi’s French talisman failed to hit the target, however, with his weaker right-foot as the first game of Hero ISL 2016 in the capital city ended in a 1-1 draw.
Match awards:
Club award: Shared by both clubs
Amul Fittest Player of the Match: Holicharan Narzary
DHL Winning Pass of the Match: Nicolas Velez
Maruti Suzuki Swift Moment of the Match: Ruben Rocha
ISL Emerging Player of the Match: Kean Lewis
Hero of the Match: Emiliano Alfaro
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