NorthEast United 2-1 ATK Mohun Bagan: Machado and Gallego help the Highlanders pull off an upset

The Highlanders climb to fifth

It's two wins in two games for Khalid Jamil since taking over from Gersrd Nus at NorthEast United.

Luis Machado's controversial goal at the hour mark and Federico Gallego's fantastic 81st-minute winner helped the Highlanders claim an important win against the league's joint-best defence (before the game kicked off).

ATK Mohun Bagan (24 points from 13 games) have dropped points for the sixth time this season and they now trail league leaders Mumbai City by six points while NorthEast United (18) have drawn level on points with Hyderabad.

Sylla pushed the ball wide for Machado, whose cross at the far post is headed but away from goal by Chhara. Perhaps the timing or a bit of a lack of height on that header

Machado OUT, Lakra IN

Can ATK Mohun Bagan score another late goal or two, which they have been so good at this season?

Goal or not, penalty or not?

After the on field referee has chosen to overrule his assistant when Machado scored the opening goal, Subhasish seems to have got contact on Krishna. Should it have been a penalty?

Pronay OUT, Jayesh IN

NorthEast restore their lead

Rochharzela with the final ball and with that sight at goal Gallego has curled it in on the right side. It's taken a touch of the inside of the post on it's way in. NorthEast United 2-1 ATK Mohun Bagan

𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄-𝐆𝐎𝐀𝐋! ⤴️⚽@NEUtdFC 🔙 into the lead! 🔴#ISLMoments #NEUATKMB #HeroISL #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/149BfVpU7j

— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) January 26, 2021

Nim was the man standing between Kotal's shot and the NorthEast goal as Subhasish was beaten. Manvir with a delightful cut back pass from the right to create that chance for ATKMB

Deshorn OUT, Sylla IN

Suhair OUT, Chhara IN

Manvir sneaks the ball from Nim and put in the cross from the left but just out of reach for Krishna 

1-1

It's a brilliantly worked goal by ATK Mohun Bagan. Kotal to Carl McHugh who finds Krishna at the far post to do the easy job of tapping it in but boy doesn't it matter

He was moving away from goal while attempting a header off Gallego's delivery from the right. Comes off the upright! Could have well been 2-0 in favour of NorthEast United by now 

Machado picks out Camara, who tries to make it 2-0 with a curling shot but it's saved by Arindam

Dylan Fox OUT, Benjamin Lambot IN

Kotal IN, Prabir OUT

NorthEast United lead

Machado has gone past his man and slotted the ball at the back of the net after Tiri went down to ground. The assistant's flag was raised but the on field referee hasn't stopped play

 

A cross from the left by Rathi as the Fijian takes a touch and attempts from a tight corner but it's gone wide. 

Manvir's first contribution since coming on has been a free-kick other than a few attempted deliveries in the box while on the other side, Machado did well to get past Rathi and put the ball in the face of goal where Kotal chipped in to head it away

Williams OUT, Manvir IN

David Williams has been red hot when it comes to those final passes in the attacking third and the last one before half-time could have turned into an assist had Prabir been able to reach out to the goalmouth cross. Half-time 0-0

ATK Mohun Bagan have won seven times this season but going by goals in the first half (1), they would have won only once this season. They have not gone lower than second this season, but going by the half-time scores, they would have been ninth now.

Brown does brilliantly to chest the ball forward for himself after a lob by Suhair but Tiri does just about enough to keep the Jamaican from getting his best shot at goal as the attempt goes over. Brown scored the winner in his NorthEast debut in the last game, a 2-1 win over Jamshedpur 

The Bagan goalkeeper increases his save percentage this season with that save as Machado attempted a shot on target after being released in the box by Gallego

The Highlanders hold their nerve to hold off the incoming attacks after a Javi flagkick. Krishna's low shot from the right not held cleanly by Subhasish as Deshorn was forced to clear it away and then block a shot taken by Tiri who initially missed the header from the corner

Krishna is not allowed much space when he's looking to deliver that final pass for Krishna, while Javi is man marked well by Mashoor

A nicely whipped in cross from the right by Prabir Das as Krishna's header under the challenge of Mashoor goes wide

Mashoor climbed up for a Gallego corner and on his second attempt after a rebound could only see the ball roll wide of the mark. Gallego has been quite instrumental in getting those final passes in this game, but only not every time

Some stats from Opta to look through as the game grows older:

> This is the second meeting between NorthEast United and ATK Mohun Bagan in the Indian Super League. The first meeting saw ATKMB winning 2-0.  

> NorthEast United have one win from their last eight matches in this season of the Indian Super League (D4 L3). However, the win came during their last match against Jamshedpur FC on January 17 (2-1).

> ATK Mohun Bagan have lost just one of their last eight matches in this season of the Indian Super League (W4 D3). It was against league leaders Mumbai City FC (0-1).

> ATK Mohun Bagan havekept five clean sheets in their last seven matches and have not conceded more than one goal in any of the other matches. NorthEast United have one clean sheet in their last seven matches and have conceded a total of 11 goals during these games.  

> Northeast United is one of the two teams against which ATKMB have scored two goals this season, their most in a match. The other team they have scored two goals against is SC East Bengal. 

> The last time ATK Mohun Bagan played NorthEast United in this season of the ISL, they made 20 fouls and were shown five yellow cards, their most in a match this season.

> None of NorthEast United players have attempted 400 passes in this season of MD14, while at least one player from each of the other teams has attempted 400 passes.  

> For any player with a minimum of six goals this season. ATK Mohun Bagan striker Roy Krishna has a big chance conversion rate of 75%, the second best after Igor Angulo (80%).

Apuia does well initially to steal the ball from Javi, plays it on to Gallego, who passes to Brown, before Tiri got in the way with a timely clearance

Krishna does the spadework up front and cuts back the ball for Javi but the latter unable to stear it on target

The Kolkatan outfit have started the game on an attacking note, Williams trying to push the ball forward on a couple of occasions - one of which was a pass a bit too heavy for Prabir to get on the other end of. Krishna has found himself flagged off-side on another occasion.

We're underway

Edu Garcia and Subhasish Bose are unavailable due to injuries. Javi Hernandez and Sumit Rathi start in their place respectively. Pronay Halder is back in the XI in place of Sheikh Sahil

Nim Dorjee replaces the injured Ashutosh Mehta at right back and in doing so makes his first ISL appearance this season. Deshorn starts in place of Idrissa Sylla in front

 

NEU subs: Gurmeet, Lambot, Lakra, Pragyan, Wayne, Imran, Sylla, Rochharzela, Ninthoi

ATKMB subs: Avilash, Boris, Manvir, Salam, Jayesh, Regin, Komal, Sahil, Glan

Deshorn Brown starts for NorthEast United!

Deshorn Brown leads the attack for NorthEast United 💥

Roy Krishna and David Williams pair up for ATK Mohun Bagan 🤝#ISL #NEUATKMB pic.twitter.com/JLNnAzT3K3

— Goal India (@Goal_India) January 26, 2021