NorthEast United FC and Jamshedpur FC were involved in a six-goal entertainer in the Indian Super League (ISL) that ended 3-3 at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here on Monday. Jamshedpur and NorthEast United stand seventh and ninth on the table, respectively. Both teams are out of the race for the playoffs. Federico Gallego (4'), Redeem Tlang (77') and Jose Leudo (88') scored for the hosts while Davide Grande (45+1'), Noe Acosta (82') and Memo (85') found the back of the net for Jamshedpur.
It took just five minutes for NorthEast to break the deadlock. Ninthoinganba Meetei split the Jamshedpur defence with a good through ball for Andrew Keogh whose shot was kept out by goalkeeper Rafique Ali. The rebound fell on the path of Gallego, who placed the ball into the net.
The visitors came back into the game just before the break. Aniket won a header and flicked the ball onto the path of Amarjit Singh who delivered an accurate cross into the box from the right flank. Grande rose the highest at the far post and found the back of the net with a good header.
Jamshedpur had a few chances in the second half before NorthEast took the lead in the 77th minute. Martin Chaves ran down the left flank and outfoxed Memo. The substitute crossed towards the far post where Sandeep Mandi's poor defensive header allowed Tlang to hit a nice volley into the net.
A persistent Jamshedpur attack was gifted a chance to equalise two minutes later when Vaz handled the ball inside the box. However, Subhasish Roy made a good save to keep out Noe Acosta's hit from the resultant penalty.
The visitors eventually equalised for the second time in the game in the 82nd minute. Acosta redeemed himself after receiving the ball outside the box and unleashed a curling strike that flew past the extended gloves of Subhasish into the net.
The NorthEast defence lacked the composure to see off the game and lost their cool in the final 10 minutes. Jamshedpur pressed hard and claimed the lead from a free-kick when Memo stepped up and struck a powerful effort into the net.
Jamshedpur, however, were dealt a blow when Farukh was punished with a second yellow card for his reaction to a bad tackle. A minute after the sending off, NorthEast equalised. Memo failed to clear a routine delivery into the box and Leudo pounced with a powerful hit that bulged the net and made it 3-3.