Two second-half goals from Andy Rodríguez helped NorthEast United FC secure a 2-1 victory over Jamshedpur FC in an Indian Super League 2025-26 match at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium on Sunday.
The win was NorthEast United’s first of the season and lifted the Highlanders to seventh place in the standings with six points. Jamshedpur FC suffered their first defeat of the campaign but remained second on 12 points.
Rodríguez was named Player of the Match after scoring both goals for the hosts.
NorthEast United head coach Juan Pedro Benali made three changes to his starting lineup, bringing Bekey Oram, Laishram Danny Meitei and Dinesh Singh into the side. Jamshedpur FC coach Owen Coyle introduced Rei Tachikawa and Rosenberg Gabriel in midfield while maintaining his team’s usual tactical setup.
Both teams began cautiously, sharing possession in the opening minutes without creating clear chances. Jamshedpur goalkeeper Albino Gomes made an important intervention in the 13th minute with a sweeping clearance outside the box.
The visitors produced the first clear opportunity in the 19th minute when Raphael Messi Bouli met Mohammed Sanan’s cross, but his header went narrowly wide. NorthEast United responded with a long-range effort from Macarton Nickson that was comfortably collected by Gomes.
Parthib Gogoi looked threatening for the hosts and forced a defensive challenge from Pratik Chaudhari during a promising run in the 27th minute.
NorthEast United were forced into an early substitution in the 39th minute when captain Míchel Zabaco left the field with a hamstring injury and was replaced by Asheer Akhtar. The hosts nearly took the lead just before halftime when Danny Meitei headed over from an Andy Rodríguez corner.
The breakthrough came eight minutes into the second half. Rodríguez struck a precise left-footed free-kick in the 53rd minute, sending the ball into the bottom-right corner to give NorthEast United the lead.
Jamshedpur FC attempted to respond through Nikola Stojanović and Rei Tachikawa, but their efforts failed to test goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh. Stojanović then forced a save in the 58th minute as the visitors increased their attacking pressure.
Jamshedpur were awarded a penalty in the 66th minute when Bouli was fouled inside the box by Dinesh Singh. Bouli converted from the spot two minutes later, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 1-1.
The hosts regained the lead almost immediately. In the 69th minute, Rodríguez collected the ball near the edge of the penalty area and fired a left-footed strike into the net for his second goal of the match.
Jamshedpur pushed for another equaliser late in the game. Bouli attempted a long-range shot in the 79th minute that went wide, while NorthEast United looked to extend their lead through Ankith Padmanabhan in the 85th minute, but his effort was blocked.
Substitute Thoi Singh nearly added another goal for the hosts in the 89th minute, shooting narrowly wide from inside the box. Jamshedpur’s final attempt came in stoppage time when Stojanović tried from distance, but the shot drifted wide.
The final whistle confirmed a 2-1 victory for NorthEast United FC, with Rodríguez’s brace securing the Highlanders’ first win of the season.
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