Guwahati, Mar 8 : Punjab FC secured their fourth win in their last six matches of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 as they defeated NorthEast United FC by 1-0 at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here on Thursday night.

A 63rd minute spot-kick by former Highlander Wilmar Jordan Gil ensured that the league debutants moved to 20 points from 18 matches, placing themselves in the ninth spot in the standings.

A prospective win here would have taken NorthEast United FC into the top-six, but the result has hurt their run in the race for the playoff spots.

For instance, Bengaluru FC, Jamshedpur FC, and NorthEast United FC are placed in the seventh, eighth, and ninth place in the rankings respectively, all with 20 points each from 18 matches.

It is safe to say that it was a battle of equals between the two sides. The Highlanders attempted nine shots as compared to the eight of Punjab FC, but the latter had directed three of them on target as compared to the two of the former.

The visitors set the tone from the beginning, with Slovenian striker Luka Majcen receiving a slick pass by Ricky Shabong and shooting it just a tad bit off target from the centre of the box in the third minute of the contest. Jithin M.S. and Parthib Gogoi were the standout strikers for the home team.

Jithin picked his teammates in promising goal-scoring positions whereas the latter missed bagging his fifth goal of the season by a slender margin after shooting from inside of the box in the 25th minute straight to Ravi Kumar.

Jithin had a chance coming his way, courtesy of Macarton Nickson in the 37th minute. But instead of charging into the box, he tested his luck from the outside and squandered the chance against a Punjab FC defence that was all over the place.

To his credit, Gil remained patient in this regard whilst earning the penalty that he converted later on. His kick from the right side of the box hit Tondonba Singh’s hand. It was a straightforward penalty that Gil converted without breaking a sweat, earning his team a narrow but crucial victory to fuel their playoff aspirations.

NorthEast United FC will play Mumbai City FC for their next game on March 12, whereas Punjab FC will lock horns with FC Goa on March 11.

UNI