BAMBOLIM, Jan 6: Jamshedpur FC went joint top of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) standings in a dramatic style as Ishan Pandita scored a last-gasp winner to sink Northeast United FC by 3-2 at the Athletic stadium in Bambolim, Goa on Thursday.
Deshorn Brown (4′) broke the deadlock with an early strike before Jordan Murray (44′) leveled the scores with a header. Boris Singh (56′) then sent JFC into the lead with his first-ever goal in the Hero ISL. Brown (90+1′) then looked to have secured a draw with a late goal until Pandita (90+3′) scored the winner deep in injury time.
The Highlanders got an early breakthrough as Jamaican striker Brown scored the goal in the 4th minute of the match. Suhair VP played a lovely through ball for Brown who perfectly timed his run and put the ball in the bottom left corner.
JFC continued to attack and finally, in the 44th minute, got on the scoresheet when Murray rose highest to meet a Stewart free-kick and headed on target from close range to net the equaliser. Both teams went into half-time with a 1-1 scoreline.
Jamshedpur FC were unlucky not to take the lead in the 48th minute when Stewart played the ball near the box and took a shot from a narrow-angle but the Highlanders goalkeeper Mirshad Michu punched it away.
The Highlanders’ defense was all over the place in the second half, Jamshedpur FC made full use of it and took the all-important lead in the 56th minute when Boris scored a goal with the help of Murray from inside the ten-yard area.
In the 60th minute, a mistake was made by the NEUFC defense when goalkeeper Michu and Murray collided and the ball almost rolled into the back of the net but Patrick Floattmann made a goal line clearance.
Late in the 90th minute, NEUFC striker Brown appeared to have rescued a point for his team when he scored the equaliser for the Highlanders. But NEUFC couldn’t hold on at the other end for very longer, as a goal was scored by the JFC super-sub Pandita before the final whistle. (Agencies)
