The Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 match between NorthEast United FC and Kerala Blasters ended in a 1-1 draw on September 29, 2024. The match, held at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, was intense, with both teams having key moments.
NorthEast United took the lead in the 58th minute through a free-kick by Alaeddine Ajaraei, capitalizing on a mistake by Kerala’s goalkeeper, Sachin Suresh. Kerala Blasters responded in the 67th minute when Noah Sadaoui scored a spectacular goal, ensuring they salvaged a point.
Despite NorthEast United going down to 10 men after Asheer Akhtar was sent off in the 82nd minute, Kerala Blasters couldn’t find a winning goal. The draw leaves both teams with shared points.
Kerala Blasters will face Odisha FC next, while NorthEast United will play against FC Goa in their upcoming matches.
After a goalless first half, NorthEast United FC took the lead in the 58th minute with a free-kick goal from Alaeddine Ajaraei. However, Kerala Blasters FC equalized in the 67th minute with a stunning strike by Noah Sadaoui, earning them a vital away point.
At the beginning of the second half, Kerala’s coach Mikael Stahre made a tactical change, bringing in Kwame Peprah for Alexandre Coeff to enhance their attacking options. The Blasters started the half strongly, with Rahul KP becoming more involved. He had a prime opportunity to score after a deflected free-kick from Vibin Mohanan fell to him in the penalty area, but he failed to challenge NorthEast’s goalkeeper, Gurmeet Singh.
NorthEast United’s goal came from Ajaraei’s well-placed free-kick, which the young keeper mishandled, allowing the ball to cross the line. Despite this setback, Kerala continued to press for an equalizer. Noah’s skillful runs proved troublesome for the Highlanders’ defense. Kerala was eventually rewarded when substitute Mohammed Aimen set up Noah just outside the box, and he skillfully navigated through defenders to find the bottom left corner of the net.
Vibin Mohanan of Kerala Blasters was recognized as the Key Performer of the Match. Looking ahead, NorthEast United will face FC Goa on October 4, while Kerala Blasters are set to meet Odisha FC in Bhubaneswar on October 3
