NorthEast United took advantage of both their rivals FC Goa and Hyderabad FC dropping points in the race for the top-four spot, with a convincing 3-1 victory over Odisha FC in the Indian Super League at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Goa on Sunday.
Goals from Luis Machado (9’, 24’) and Deshorn Brown (19’) moved the Highlanders to third and two points clear of both Hyderabad and Goa. With the latter two teams taking on each other in their final game, NorthEast are now heavy favourites to grab a playoff spot. Bradden Inman (45’) netted a consolation for Odisha in a match where all four goals came in the first half.
NEUFC started the game at a furious pace and only needed nine minutes to come up with the first goal. Ashutosh Mehta found Machado with an accurate cross and the latter hit it first time past a diving Arshdeep Singh. It was a superb finish and no less than what NorthEast United deserved given the attack intent they showed in the first period of the match.
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