Hyderabad ends 2022 on top with a 6-1 thrashing against NorthEast United
Hyderabad ensures that they will be wearing the crown of the table-toppers at the end of the year 2022 after thrashing down the NorthEast United side on a final scoreline of 6-1 at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium
It was a goal fest in the second game of the 12th matchday of the ongoing Indian Super League league season where four players from the Nizams’ camp Javier Siverio (8′ & 73′), Borja Herrera (24′), Odei Onaindia (30′), and Joel Chianese (77′) got their names on the scoresheet.
The Highlanders could manage to score only a solitary goal through a 36th-minute strike from Aaron Evans while we also witnessed an own goal being scored by Gaurav Bora to make it 6-1.
The Nizams only made a single change in their starting XI replacing Rohit Danu with Mohammad Yasir to carry forward the winning momentum. Meanwhile, the two defensive rocks of Hyderabad, Chinglensana Singh and first-choice captain Joao Victor once again could not make it to the matchday squad due to fitness concerns.
On the other hand, the visitors also fielded their starting XI with a solitary change by bringing in the 29-year-old Indian midfielder Sehnaj Singh in place of Jon Gaztanaga. The Spanish defensive midfielder played a pivotal role in their recent triumph over ATK Mohun Bagan and could not take part in this fixture after facing a one-match disciplinary suspension.
The first key chance for Hyderabad came in the 7th minute when Akash Mishra’s pacey run on the left flank met with Bartholomew Ogbeche’s strike which was firmly turned down by Mirshad Michu.
However, the wall of NorthEast United was soon trampled down with a corner goal which was staged right next to the earlier event. The Spanish striker Javier Siverio collected a spectacular corner-kick of Borja Herrera on his right foot at the second post and turned it into his third goal of the current season.
After assisting the first goal, Herrera went on to register his name on the scoresheet in the 24th minute to double the lead of the Nizams. Nikhil Poojary took a throw-in at the final third and passed it towards Borja who got the ball past Mirshad as the goalkeeper conceded a blunderous goal failing a regulation clearance.
The home team scored a goal from a set-piece routine once again to strengthen their commanding position into a 3-0 scoreline. The 33-year-old veteran central defender Odei Onaindia registered his maiden goal in the yellow colors of Hyderabad. After receiving the free-kick on the edge of the box on the left side, Onaindia delivered the ball right into the net with a thunderous volley.
NorthEast United suffered their eleventh losing outcome of the season
In the 35th minute of the game, the Highlanders staged a tiny comeback courtesy of Aaron Evans who brought up the scoreline on 3-1 just 10 minutes before the half-time whistle. A corner-kick routine fell to the 28-year-old Australian defender who chested it down and took a comfortable strike to register his second goal for the Guwahati-based club.
After a goal-scoring halt of 38 minutes, Siverio finally broke the deadlock of the second half to regain their three-goal lead as Yasir took a grounded cross and the Spanish striker gave direction to complete his brace for the night.
Manolo Marquez brought out his trump card Joel Chianese in place of Herrera in the 76th minute and the substitution move resulted in them scoring two more goals in the span of four minutes.
The Australian super-sub turned his first touch of the match into the ninth goal of his ISL career with a stretched strike and the assistance of Halicharan Narzary. Chianese once again struck a shot on target which eventually turned out to be an own goal from Gaurav Bora to finish the play on a final scoreline of 6-1.
Right from the start, the Highlanders were struggling to make attacking moves, the Hyderabad side looked well-settled on the home turf and continuously launched raids on the opposition half. The Nizams are in great goal-scoring form after fetching a whopping tally of 14 goals in their last four ISL fixtures while conceding only two.
Marquez’s men will be travelling to Goa to challenge the fifth-placed Gaurs on Thursday with an ultimate aim to retain the table-toppers crown while NorthEast United has a scheduled home fixture with Bengaluru next Friday which will be a do-or-die battle for both sides.