Katsumi gives NorthEast winning start

Ron Gaunt/ISL/SPORTZPICS

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Hosts NorthEast United (NEUFC) got their Indian Super League (ISL) campaign off to a winning start, with Japanese midfielder Katsumi Yusa scoring on ISL debut to help them beat Kerala Blasters (KBFC) 1-0 at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati on Saturday.

NEUFC coach Nelo Vingada fielded an aggressive 4-2-3-1 formation, though marquee player Didier Zokora only made a second-half substitute appearance. KBFC fielded their marquee Aaron Hughes in the heart of defence alongside Cedric Hengbart, while Sandesh Jhingan switched from his favoured centre-back position to left-back.

NEUFC were understandably aggressive in the early exchanges, and the first sight of goal allowed Holicharan Narzary to go for a shot in the second minute, but he hit well over the KBFC goal. In the 10th minute, Nicolas Velez found space down the right channel for NEUFC and floated in a low cross, but Jhingan ensured that Uruguayan striker Emiliano Alfaro did not get to the ball.

The hosts continued to press forward, and Katsumi was brought down by Mehtab Hossain in the 22nd minute. The resultant free kick led to a cross from Velez inside the box, but it harmlessly went out for a goal kick. KBFC's goalkeeper Graham Stack's feeble attempt to find Mehtab allowed Romaric to get the first shot on target, but it was saved by Stack.

In the 25th minute, Jhingan brought down Alfaro just outside the KBFC box, but the resultant free kick by Katsumi went well over the target.

KBFC had a bright passage of play around the 34th minute, first when Rowlin Borges fouled Ishfaq Ahmed running down the left channel and earned the first yellow card of the season. The resultant free kick floated in by Mehtab nearly found Jhingan, but it was cleared to safety by the NEUFC defence.

From the restart, Englishman Antonio German stole the ball from Romaric and tried to line the ball up on his favoured left, but shot wide of the target. The 42nd minute saw half-chances at either end, but while Rafi headed wide of the target for KBFC, Stack did well to parry the headed attempt from Velez to get the ball into an attacking position.

The visitors made a positive start in the second half, as Jhingan sent a cross in from the right in the 47th minute, but German's header wasn't on target, thanks to some pressure from Mailson Alves in the NEUFC defence. Three minutes later, it was German again who was played in by a Rafi cushioned header, but the English striker shot just wide of the target.

NEUFC eventually scored the first goal of the season in the 55th minute, as Velez glided in from the left flank and sent a low ball in which was converted by Katsumi.

Five minutes later, KBFC were kept interested by two poor occasions of decision-making by Subrata in goal for NEUFC. First he deflected a Jhingan cross on to the post and out for a corner. Soon afterwards, he charged off his line and allowd Haitian striker Kervens Belfort to have a shot towards goal, but it was deflected out for a corner.

Both teams rang in their first changes, with midfielder Wellington Priori coming on for NEUFC and striker Michael Chopra for KBFC, though it was Alfaro who had the next chance to score, beating the offside trap and seeing his right-footed attempt deflected away by Stack.

Chopra sent in a teasing cross from the left in the 82nd minute, and Rafi was first to the ball, but failed to direct his header into goal even though Subrata had come off his line.

That would prove to be the last opportunity of the game for either team, as NEUFC held on for three points in the opening match of ISL 2016.

This was the third consecutive season where these teams faced each other in their season opener. While NEUFC won 1-0 at home in 2014, it was KBFC who won 3-1 in Kochi last year.