Kerala Blasters and NorthEast United FC played out a gripping 1-1 draw in their Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 encounter at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday. Both teams displayed attacking intent throughout the match, but ultimately, neither side could come away with all three points.
The match started at a blistering pace, with end-to-end football from both teams. Kerala Blasters were the more proactive side early on, with forwards Noah Sadaoui, Jesus Jimenez, and Danish Farooq creating exciting opportunities. NorthEast United responded with their own attacking trio, as Jithin Madathil Subran, Alaeddine Ajaraie, and Guillermo threatened Kerala’s defense.
Despite the attacking flurry, the first half remained goalless, with both teams struggling to convert their chances. The deadlock was finally broken in the 58th minute when NorthEast United’s Moroccan star Alaeddine Ajaraie delivered a powerful free-kick. The strike deceived Kerala Blasters goalkeeper Sachin Suresh, slipping through his legs to give the Highlanders the lead. It was Ajaraie’s third goal in as many games, continuing his fine form this season.
Kerala Blasters, however, responded swiftly. Just six minutes later, Moroccan forward Noah Sadaoui leveled the score with a stunning left-footed strike from outside the box. The curling effort found the bottom corner, leaving NorthEast United goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh with no chance.
The match took another turn in the 81st minute when NorthEast United’s Asheer Akhtar was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Noah. With the Highlanders reduced to ten men, Kerala Blasters pushed for a winner. Aimen came close to scoring twice in quick succession, once rounding the goalkeeper but being denied by a crucial last-ditch tackle from Michel Zabaco.
Despite Kerala Blasters’ numerical advantage, NorthEast United’s defense held firm, frustrating their opponents and securing a hard-fought draw. Both teams now sit on four points after three games, with Kerala Blasters moving up to fourth in the standings and NorthEast United climbing to fifth.
“We showed great character to come back and fight, but we need to finish these games better,” said Kerala Blasters coach Ivan Vukomanović. NorthEast United coach Juan Pedro Benali expressed satisfaction with his team’s resilience, stating, “The red card changed our approach, but the team defended well and secured a valuable point.”
With the season still young, both teams will look to build on this result and push higher up the table.
