Shillong, Mar 7: Their play-offs berth secured, NorthEast United FC will target their first Indian Super League win in the picturesque hill town when they face East Bengal FC here on Saturday.
The Highlanders have qualified for the playoffs with 35 points from 23 games on the back of nine wins and eight draws. They will want to enter the playoffs with another victory.
East Bengal FC are eighth with 28 points and will hope to cap off the campaign by extending their strong record against NorthEast United FC, having lost just once in their last six meetings and scoring in each of those contests.
Meanwhile, NorthEast United FC head into this fixture on the back of a 3-0 victory over Chennaiyin FC, marking the seventh time this season they have netted three or more goals in a single game, as only Mohun Bagan Super Giant have achieved this more times (nine) in ISL 2024-25.
Notably, the Highlanders’ seven such high-scoring games this season equal their combined tally from the last three seasons.
The Highlanders have lost their last two home games by similar 0-2 scorelines. The last time they failed to find the back of the net in three successive home matches was between December 2019 and February 2020.
NEUFC are the fourth highest scoring teams with 42 strikes. Alaaeddine Ajaraie had netted 21 times, but the joint-best in the list next are Guillermo Fernandez and Nestor Albiach with five goals each.
East Bengal FC are currently unbeaten in their last three away games in ISL 2024-25 (W2 D1). A win or a draw in this match would set a new club record for their longest such sequence in ISL history.
East Bengal FC have laid a potent offside trap this season, catching opponents offside 60 times, more than any other side in the competition. This also means that they play a slightly high defensive line at times, which could leave their backline exposed too.
The two sides have played nine games against each other, with NorthEast United FC and East Bengal FC winning four and three times respectively. Two matches have produced draws.
Mohun Bagan SG lock horns with FC Goa
A top of the table clash awaits as FC Goa aim to enter semi-finals with a sixth straight win, as Mohun Bagan SG target sixth consecutive home clean sheet in Kolkata.
The League Winners clash against the second-placed team in what promises to be a cracker of a contest, with both sides sealing their semi-final spots courtesy of their top-two finish.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa have 53 and 48 points respectively from 23 games so far and this will be their last game of the league stage of the ISL.
MBSG have kept five consecutive clean sheets at home and a sixth consecutive one will see them become the first team to scale that peak in a single season. The Gaurs are on a five-game-long winning streak, marking it to be a game of two incredibly in-form teams.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant have scored three or more goals in nine of their 23 league games this season. If they score at least three goals in this fixture, they will join FC Goa (2019-20) and Mumbai City FC (2022-23) as the only teams to achieve this milestone 10 times in a single season.
MBSG have made 137 shots on target in ISL 2024-25, the highest among all teams, and 22 more than FC Goa (115). Liston Colaco (31), Jamie Maclaren (19), and Manvir Singh (16) have taken the most on-target attempts amongst the Mohun Bagan Super Giant squad this season. (PTI)
