ISL 2018-19: NorthEast United FC and FC Goa play out a thrilling 2-2 draw

FC Goa, as is their nature, will play a possession-based game and NorthEast United will look to exploit them on the counter

Full-time report: It was an interesting matchup: between a team with most goals last season and the one which ended at the bottom of the table. However, the way the game played out at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on Monday, the fixture seemed anything but a mismatch. The match ended in a draw with two goals scored at either ends of the pitch. Ferran Corominas, the top scorer of last season, scored twice to start this campaign.  

By the end of the first half, Goa had taken control of the match, thanks in part to the two goals scored by their star forward Coro. But other than the goals too, Goa had been the better side with them dominating the possession and slicing the NorthEast defence repeatedly with incisive passes.

The beginning of the game was a sort of red herring as NorthEast United FC went forward with a lucky goal in the seventh minute. Goa's young keeper Mohammad Nawaz had a brainfade moment when he advanced outside of his box and, thinking that the ball had been called for offside handled it. The referee awarded the freekick Federico Gallego slotted home the ball into the empty net.

NorthEast United tried to take inspiration from the goal and move forward but Goa did just enough to push them back. 

Coro's first goal came in the 13th minute when a tricky ball was dipped into the box. Coro leapt into the sky and the ball, after nikcing off one of his teammates, took a touch from his belly to score the first goal.

From then on, it was all Goa as they kept probing and pushing. In the 37th minute, Coro pulled off a beautiful solo goal when he danced past three NorthEast defenders to fire in a shot inside the goal.

In the second half, seven minutes after the restart of the game Nigerian Bartholomew Ogbeche got off his first goal for NorthEast United in his maiden ISL game. The former PSG player received a fantastic cross into the box which he redirected downwards towards the goalpost with his head. The game's tempo slowed down thereafer and while both teams tried to push forward, neither could stitch together any opportunity of note.

The two teams shared points and now have onen points each from as many matches. Both teams have certain positives to take from the game, although FC Goa will feel that could have scored more, what with their reputation of being a free-scoring team. But there's an entire topurnament to do that. For now, it's not a bad beginning. Neither is it for NorthEast FC.

9:27 PM

Minute 90+5 -- The referee blows the whistle for full-time. What a exciting game of football we have had here. The scoreline reads a draw and that's maybe justified, although in this particular case, the game has been way better than the result.

9:25 PM

Minute 90+4 -- Okrah goes on a lung-busting run down the left wing. Goa's keeper comes off-the-line and challenges Okrah to nick the ball out of play

9:21 PM

Minute 90 -- Five minutes of added time at the end of 90 minutes

9:19 PM

Minute 89 -- Corner for Goa after NorthEast goalkeeper parries a headed effort out. Nothing of note comes from the resulting corner

9:18 PM

Minute 88 (SUBSTITUTION) -- Dessai out for Manvir Singh

9:17 PM

Minute 86 (SUBSTITUTION) -- Change for NorthEast FC: Kadam out for Lalthathanga Khawlhring

9:15 PM

Minute 85 -- Tempers flaring on the ground as Lleudo has a word or two with some Goa players

9:13 PM

Minute 82 (SUBSTITUTION) -- Galeego out for Augustine Okrah

9:12 PM

Minute 81 -- Goa get a free-kick very near the box but the resulting free-kick is poor and flies way over the bar

9:10 PM

Minute 77 (SUBSTITUTION): Change for Goa: Jackiechand out for Colaco.

9:05 PM

Minute 69 -- Mohammed Nawaz does it again! Rowllin aims his shot at the top corner from some distance but Nawaz is up to the task and punches the ball back into the play.

8:58 PM

Minute 67 -- Nawaz pulls off a stunning save with his outstreched hands to deny NorthEast the third goal

8:50 PM

Minute 59 (SUBSTITUTION) -- Change for NorthEastern FC: Robert Lalthlamuana on for Keegan Pereira

8:46 PM

Minute 56 (YELLOW CARD) -- Preira gets a yellow card and concedes a free-kick near his box

8:46 PM

Minute 55 -- The fans here in the stadium are reallllyy getting behind the team. They're roaring and applauding. Ogbeche's goal has gotten them into the mood and they believe they can take all three points from this match. A great, great atmosphere