Simao Sabrosa stole a point for NorthEast United in 1-1 draw against Delhi Dynamos
NorthEast United were the dominant side for most of the game but only came away with a single point as Delhi were able to hold off wave after wave of NEUFC attacks. Despite going ahead through Gadze’s first half goal but itwas undone by substitute hero Simao Sabrosa who scored with his first touch after coming on.
It was a quiet start in Delhi with both sides just passing the ball about. The first attempt of the game came from Sanju for the away side but his strike from the outside of the boot went inches wide. It was NorthEast United doing all the early running, taking the game to Delhi.
After Dadzie missed a half chance early on as well. the visitors hit the crossbar to send warning signs to the poor Delhi side. From a corner at the near post, Diomansy Kamara could only get it onto the post due to some good work from goalkeeper Doblas.
NorthEast continued to build some good pressure with all the action in Delhi’s half. Sanju and Seityasen doing all the good work till then. But Delhi slowly started showing some good signs, though the visitors were the more free flowing side. Robin Singh earned the first yellow card after using his arm to move the ball.
The dominant NorthEast side had another chance, this time though Sanju Pradhan who was almost through but a last minute challenge from Riise made him rush his shot and it’s dinked at the keeper.
There was a move when Roberto Carlos rolled back the years with a bursting run to play Francis Fernandes through, but the winger could only put his shot wide under pressure from Hengbart.
Then came a dramatic moment when NorthEast United were denied by a double save from Doblas after 4 shots within 5 seconds. First Sanju Pradhan struck from long range but Doblas parried, then Sanju tried his luck again but miscued his shot, Dadzie then had a crack and was denied by Doblas then finally Kamara’s long range shot went wide.
In the 37th minute, Florent Malouda found Gadze inside the box and the striker did well to hold off his marker and poke his shot past Rehenesh for the first goal of the game. It came very much against the run of play and NEUFC were quickly on the attack again but could not find a breakthrough till half-time.
In the second half, the start of the game saw Rehenesh and Robin Singh clash after the 2 went for Florent Malouda's cross and the Delhi striker went down, but was able to continue.
NorthEast were once again on the rise as they mounted an attack and won a freekick on the left and Silas’ attempt from it clipped the crossbar but still no equaliser for Cesar Farias’ side.
Dadzie then hit the post, after he was played through and took an early shot, Doblas let it go thinking the ball was safely going behind but it curled back in and hit the post. This was when Farias made his first gamble bringing on nico Velez who would terrorise the Delhi defence.
Seityasen who had been good all game made a good run was stopped in the box but at the cost of a corner. Sanju took the corner and Hengbart met it at the near post and directed it towards Kamara who was unable to direct the header goalwards.
Greene then replaced Carlos and the Brazilian came off to raucous applause. However, there was some drama immediately following that as Kamara was brought down and the referee ruled that it was to be a freekick while the NEUFC players were asking for a penalty. The official seemed to initially indicate a penalty but changed his decision after conferring with the linesman.
NEUFC brought on Simao to replace Silas and the Portuguese national took the freekick that curled into the back of the net to score the equaliser. It was following this goal that Delhi tried to push further forward and won a series of freekicks but to no avail as they failed to influence the final score.