Sports: Moroccan striker Alaaeddine Ajaraie fired a sensational hat-trick as NorthEast United FC demolished Mohammedan Sporting 6-0 to storm into the quarterfinals of the Kalinga Super Cup on Thursday.
The Indian Super League’s top scorer found the net in the 18th, 57th, and 90+2 minutes, leading a clinical Highlanders performance. Jithin MS opened the floodgates in just the 3rd minute, while Nestor Albiach (42’) and Guillermo Fernandez (66’) added to the tally in a one-sided affair.
NorthEast dominated from the first whistle. Jithin capitalized on a defensive error to volley in the opener, and Ajaraie doubled the lead soon after with a sharp turn and finish. Mohammedan’s Lalremsanga found a brief opening, but Gurmeet Singh’s save kept NorthEast’s clean sheet intact.
Albiach made it 3-0 before halftime, capping off a move sparked by Jithin’s relentless pressing. The second half saw more of the same. Ajaraie pounced on a rebound to bag his second, before Guillermo Fernandez calmly slotted home NorthEast’s fifth from the Moroccan’s assist.
Ajaraie completed his hat-trick in stoppage time, converting a penalty with finesse to round off the 6-0 thumping.
In the other match of the day, Jamshedpur FC booked their spot in the last eight with a 2-0 win over Hyderabad FC, thanks to goals from Javier Siverio (39’) and Stephen Eze (64’). The Men of Steel will now face NorthEast United in a high-stakes quarterfinal clash.
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