Rowllin Borges produced the winner a minute from time to help NorthEast United FC down the host ATK by a solitary goal and end a long-standing success drought in away matches. The host was reduced to 10 men in the 32nd minute, when left-back Lalhmangaihsanga Ralte was sent off after picking up a second yellow card.
ATK stuck to its defensive organisation in the opening half, allowing NorthEast to plan its attacks. A cross from Nikhil Kadam in the third minute found Uruguayan Federico Gallego on top of the box but his attempt was saved by the ATK centre back Gerson Viera. The resultant corner failed to produce anything but the visitor continued to work hard in the middle thus maintaining a greater share of ball possession.
The first half otherwise remained listless with neither side showing the intent or application to be overtly offensive. Things started moving NorthEast’s way after Ralte was sent off, giving it a numerical advantage. The host hereafter had to curtail its attacks even further.
![ATK vs NorthEast United ATK vs NorthEast United](/theme/images/ss-online/1x1_spacer.png)
The visitor had a chance to move ahead in the 35th minute but captain Bartholomew Ogbeche failed to keep his attempted jab on a Kadam cross on target. The host came back strongly after the interval and almost got the break on a fine build-up through the left. Moroccan midfielder Noussair El Maimpouni sent a cross into the box that was headed along by Everton Santos to Manuel Lanzarote near the far post. However the Spaniard's attempt on goal was well saved by the NorthEast keeper T.P.Rehenesh.
![ATK vs NorthEast United ATK vs NorthEast United](/theme/images/ss-online/1x1_spacer.png)
The action hereafter got to level of the hunter and the hunted as ATK retreated back to maintain the shape in defence while NorthEast tried hard to punch holes in the host’s fortification. But the visitor’s passing in the final third did not look that incisive allowing the host to keep its citadel safe despite the numerical disadvantage. The visitor’s relentless efforts finally paid off in the 89th minute through a corner when Borges broke the ATK cordon to nod home a corner from Federico Gallego. This ended NorthEast’s winless run of seven away matches — its last away win coming on December 2, 2017 against Delhi Dynamos.
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