NorthEast United complete stunning comeback against Shillong Lajong FC to seal Durand Cup semi-final ticket
The Highlanders will play against Mohun Bagan in the semi final
NorthEast United FC produced a comeback worthy of their reputation asthe defending champions, overturning a 2-1 half-time deficit to storm past Shillong Lajong FC 5-2 atthe Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Monday and book their place in the semi-finals of the 135thDurand Cup.
In a quarter-final that had everything a Northeastern derby could promise, the Highlanders weatheredtorrential rain, a spirited home side and a two-goal deficit before taking complete control after theinterval. Alaaeddine Ajaraie led the charge with a sensational hat-trick, while Etyan Jesus GonzalezMorales and Jithin M.S. added the other goals as NorthEast United scored four times in the secondhalf to turn the contest decisively in their favour.
The result sends the Highlanders into the semi-finals of the Durand Cup for a fourth consecutiveedition, keeping their pursuit of an unprecedented third straight title firmly alive.
With NorthEast United joining Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Sporting Club Delhi and East Bengal FC inthe last four, the semi-final line-up for the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup is now complete.
Shillong has the upper hand over the Highlanders in the first half
The conditions made for a difficult opening in Shillong, with heavy rain leaving the surface slick andunpredictable. NorthEast United, however, settled quickly and nearly found the breakthrough in theseventh minute when Eneko Satrustegui headed narrowly wide from an Antonio Moyano corner.
Four minutes later, the Highlanders had their reward.
Redeem Tlang’s perfectly weighted long ball released Ajaraie, who showed the composure and qualitythat have made him one of NorthEast United’s most dangerous attacking outlets. The Moroccanforward took the ball beyond the advancing defender before calmly finishing to put the Highlandersahead in the 11th minute.
Shillong Lajong responded with intensity, and Figo Syndai levelled the contest in the 20th minute afterfinding space in the final third and finishing clinically.
The momentum then swung towards the hosts. NorthEast United came close to restoring theiradvantage when Jithin M.S. narrowly missed from a quick counter, but Shillong struck again in the34th minute. Jota raced through on goal, rounded Gurmeet Singh and completed the turnaround tosend the Highlanders into the interval trailing 2-1.
The scoreline, however, did little to reflect what was about to unfold.
Alaaeddine Ajaraie’s hat trick powers NorthEast to beat Shillong Lajong
NorthEast United emerged from the break with renewed purpose. The rain eased, the Highlandersraised the tempo, and the game began to move decisively in their direction.
The equaliser arrived in the 55th minute. Etyhan Jesus Gonzalez Morales finished a flowing NorthEastmove to make it 2-2 and, suddenly, the quarter-final had been reset.
Three minutes later, the comeback was complete.
Ajaraie struck again, clinically finishing another attacking move to put the Highlanders 3-2 ahead.
Having trailed at half-time, NorthEast United had turned the game around in the space of just threeminutes.
Shillong attempted to respond, forcing a series of corners and pushing numbers forward, butNorthEast United absorbed the pressure before beginning to create openings of their own. JuanPedro Benali refreshed the attack with the introductions of Parthib Sundar Gogoi and Nikola Ninkovic,adding further energy as the Highlanders looked to put the contest beyond doubt.
And the decisive moment arrived in the 69th minute.
Jithin M.S. released Ajaraie into space, and the Moroccan made no mistake. He completed his hat-trick with another assured finish, taking his tally for the night to three and NorthEast United’sadvantage to 4-2.
From 2-1 down to 4-2 up. The Highlanders had completely flipped the quarter-final and there was stilltime for one more.
Jithin, who had been a constant threat throughout the evening, deservedly got his name on thescoresheet in the 79th minute, finishing off another flowing NorthEast United move to make it 5-2 andput the result beyond doubt.
The closing stages saw Benali manage the game intelligently, with Robin Yadav and Lalrinzualaintroduced as NorthEast United controlled the final minutes. The night also marked the competitivedebut of Pramveer, who came on for Asheer Akhtar.
When the final whistle arrived, the Highlanders had completed a remarkable turnaround.
From trailing 2-1 at half-time in a rain-soaked Shillong to winning 5-2, NorthEast United United onceagain showed the resilience that has carried them deep into this competition year after year.
Four consecutive Durand Cup semi-finals. Another Northeastern derby conquered. And the defendingchampions remain firmly in the hunt for three in a row.
Who won the Durand Cup quarter-final between NorthEast United FC and Shillong Lajong FC?
NorthEast United FC defeated Shillong Lajong FC 5-2 in the quarter-final.
Who will play in the Durand Cup 2026 semi-finals?
The four semi-finalists are NorthEast United FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Sporting Club Delhi and East Bengal FC.
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Rohit Mistri is a sports journalist from Kolkata with over two years of experience in the field. He has extensively covered Indian football, including major tournaments such as the Calcutta Football League and the Indian Super League. His work spans on-ground reporting, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling, along with interviews of prominent sporting personalities. Rohit brings strong communication skills and a deep passion for sports narratives to everything he writes.