ISL: Priori stunner gives Jamshedpur top-four cushion

A spectacular overhead kick from Wellington Priori led Jamshedpur to a 1-0 win over NorthEast United in the Indian Super League on Saturday.

Wellington Priori celebrates after scoring the winner against NEUFC on Saturday.

Wellington Priori's stunning goal from an overhead kick powered Jamshedpur FC to a crucial 1-0 victory over NorthEast United FC to keep it in the top four of the Indian Super League.

Steve Coppell's side has now won three matches in a row at home and occupies the third spot with 25 points, the same as second-placed FC Pune City, which has a better goal-difference and a match in hand.

MATCH CENTRE

Priori's incredible goal came in the 50th minute. It was a long throw in from Izu Azuka which found Wellington in the box. He controlled it with his thigh and then executed the perfect overhead kick to give Jamshedpur the lead, in what was one of the best goals of the season. The strike overshadowed goalkeeper Subrata Paul's achievement of becoming the first man to keep 20 clean sheets in the ISL.

After a goalless first session, the deadlock was broken minutes after Coppell had introduced Mehtab Hossain for Ashim Biswas. It seemed like a defensive move but it gave the side stability in midfield.

 

For NorthEast United, Seiminlen Doungel was picked out by Robert Lalthlamuana with a fine cross but the header was wayward and Jamshedpur went forward with creativity as well. Souvik Chakrabarti delivered a threatening ball from the right but neither of the two red shirts in the box could read it.

The best chance for NorthEast to level the match came in the 80th minute when Nirmal Chhetri couldn't keep his header on target from point-blank range after a flick on from a corner. Jamshedpur's Farukh Choudhary was one-on-one against T. P. Rehenesh in the 94th minute, but the goalkeeper saved it brilliantly.