Alaaeddine Ajaraie Hat-Trick Powers NorthEast United Into Fourth Straight Durand Cup Semi-Final

NorthEast United FC produced a stunning second-half comeback to defeat Shillong Lajong FC 5-2 in a thrilling Northeastern derby at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Monday, securing their place in the semi-finals of the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup.

The Highlanders looked to be heading towards a quarter-final exit after trailing 2-1 at half-time in torrential rain. Instead, they completely transformed the contest after the break, scoring four goals to turn the match around and seal another appearance in the last four. At the heart of the comeback was Alaaeddine Ajaraie, who produced a sensational hat-trick to take his tournament tally to three goals in the match and underline his importance to Juan Pedro Benali's side.

With the result, all four semi-finalists have now been confirmed: Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Sporting Club Delhi, East Bengal FC and NorthEast United FC.

Both sides entered the quarter-final with attacking 4-3-3 formations, but heavy rain made conditions difficult from the opening whistle. The slick surface affected the players' footing and ball control, with Shillong captain Kenstar Kharshong slipping awkwardly during the early exchanges before continuing after receiving treatment.

NorthEast United adapted quicker and created the first meaningful opportunity in the seventh minute. A corner from Antonio Moyano found Eneko Satrustegui, whose header narrowly missed the target. Four minutes later, the Highlanders took the lead.

Captain Redeem Tlang produced a perfectly weighted long ball for Ajaraie, who showed excellent individual skill to beat an approaching defender before calmly slotting the ball into the net. The goal gave NorthEast a 1-0 advantage and also moved Ajaraie level with Rodriguinho in the tournament's scoring charts.

Shillong, however, responded with increasing confidence.

Shillong turns the match around.

Despite NorthEast controlling much of the early possession, Shillong found their equaliser in the 20th minute. Figo Syndai exploited space in the final third and finished clinically to make it 1-1, sending the home supporters into celebration. The equaliser gave Shillong belief, and the contest quickly developed into an end-to-end battle.

NorthEast nearly restored their lead in the 27th minute following a quick counter-attack, but Jithin M.S. fired narrowly wide. Shillong continued to grow into the match and eventually completed the turnaround in the 34th minute. Jota led a rapid counter-attack, racing clear of the NorthEast defence before rounding goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh and finishing confidently.

The hosts were now 2-1 ahead. NorthEast struggled to regain their earlier rhythm before the break, while Jithin saw another effort comfortably gathered by Ranit Sarkar. Shillong went into half-time with the lead after edging the first-half shot count and appeared to have put themselves in a strong position to reach the semi-finals.

A completely different Northeast after the break

The second half belonged to NorthEast United. The rain eased after the interval, but the Highlanders' intensity increased significantly. Shillong introduced Phrangki Buam for goalscorer Jota, but NorthEast immediately began pushing higher up the pitch. Their pressure finally paid off in the 55th minute.

Etyan Jesus Gonzalez Morales found the back of the net to restore parity at 2-2. The equaliser changed the momentum of the match.

Just three minutes later, Ajaraie struck again. The Moroccan forward finished another clinical NorthEast move to put the Highlanders 3-2 ahead, completing the turnaround in the space of just three minutes. From trailing by a goal at half-time, NorthEast had suddenly taken control of the quarter-final.

https://www.indiasportshub.com/articles/mohun-bagan-super-giant-survive-jamshedpur-fc-in-marathon-shootout-to-reach-durand-cup-semifinals

Shillong attempted to respond after the hour mark, winning successive corners and creating opportunities from close range. The contest also became increasingly physical, with Macarton Louis Nickson and Asheer Akhtar entering the referee's notebook.

Benali responded with attacking substitutions, bringing on Parthib Sundar Gogoi and Nikola Ninkovic to maintain his side's momentum.

The decisive moment came in the 69th minute. Jithin M.S. released Ajaraie into space, and the Moroccan made no mistake. He finished confidently to complete his hat-trick and extend NorthEast United's advantage to 4-2. The goal effectively ended Shillong's hopes of another comeback. Ajaraie's contribution was decisive. He had opened the scoring in the first half and then returned after the interval to score twice in a devastating 14-minute spell.

Shillong continued to push forward, but Northeast's defence remained disciplined and resolute. Benali also handed a debut to Pramveer, who replaced Asheer Akhtar, as the Highlanders began managing the closing stages.

NorthEast United added one more goal in the 79th minute. After producing a lively performance throughout the match, Jithin M.S. finally got his reward, finishing another flowing attacking move to make it 5-2. The goal put the result beyond doubt and allowed NorthEast to comfortably manage the remainder of the contest. Robin Yadav and Lalrinzuala were introduced during the closing stages as the Highlanders controlled possession and saw out the added time.

When the final whistle arrived, NorthEast United had completed a remarkable transformation. They had been 2-1 down at half-time in difficult conditions, but four second-half goals had taken them into the semi-finals.

The victory represents another significant achievement for NorthEast United in the Durand Cup. The Highlanders have now reached the semi-finals for four consecutive editions, establishing themselves as one of the tournament's most consistent teams. For Shillong Lajong, the defeat will be particularly disappointing after they had taken the lead into half-time and looked capable of producing a major upset in front of their home supporters.

But NorthEast's second-half response was emphatic. Ajaraie's hat-trick, Gonzalez Morales' equaliser and Jithin's late strike transformed a difficult quarter-final into a comprehensive 5-2 victory. With NorthEast United now joining Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Sporting Club Delhi and East Bengal FC in the last four, the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup has reached its decisive stage.

And after a comeback of this magnitude, the Highlanders will enter the semi-finals with considerable momentum — and with Alaaeddine Ajaraie emerging as one of the tournament's most dangerous attacking players.