NorthEast United claimed the last-to-next spot in the Indian Super League (ISL) playoffs after defeating Chennaiyin 3-0 and then East Bengal 4-0 in their final match.

Their win over Chennaiyin came via first-half goals from Nestor Albiach, Jithin M.S and two from Alaaeddine Ajaraie. Albiach and Ajaraie also found the net against East Bengal, with the latter’s brace making him the ISL’s leading scorer with 23 goals.

 

NorthEast are currently third in the table on 38 points, ahead of fellow qualifiers Bengaluru and Jamshedpur on goal difference. Jamshedpur lost their last match 5-2 to Chennaiyin while Bengaluru will meet Mumbai City on Tuesday.

 

The sixth spot is a tussle between Odisha and Mumbai, both on 33 points. The former ended their ISL campaign with a 3-2 win over Jamshedpur earlier in the week while the latter saw their hopes to cement qualification dashed when they lost 1- 0 to Kerala Blasters.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant, meanwhile, closed the season in style with a 2-0 win over FC Goa. The ISL Shield leaders finished with a number of records - highest number of points (56), number of wins in a season (17) and an unbeaten run at home (11 wins and one draw).

 

Goa had earlier defeated bottom club Mohammedan SC 2-0 to finish eight points behind Mohun Bagan. Iker Guarrotxena scored from a set-piece before the break while Mohammedan keeper Padam Chettri found his own net four minutes before regulation.

 

Punjab FC put a halt to their five-match winless streak to beat Hyderabad 3-1. Shami Singamayum’s third goal for Punjab in the 86th minute made him the youngest goal scorer in ISL history at 17 years and 322 days.

Sepahan drew 1-1 with Esteghlal Khuzestan to consolidate their second spot in the Iran Pro League with a game in hand over Tractor FC, whose match against Foolad was postponed due to their involvement in the AFC Challenge League™ 2024/25 quarter-finals.

 

Both teams are level on 45 points, with Persepolis one behind after beating Chadormalu 1-0 in their 10th straight unbeaten match. Tractor have played 21 games and can pull ahead when they meet Gol Gahar on Sunday on Matchday 23 of 25.

Gol Gohar, meanwhile, retained fifth place with a 2-0 win over Kheybar with goals from Mehdi Tikdari in the 13th minute and Amir Razzaghinia six minutes into time added on. 

 

Malavan, one place below, kept it late in their 1-0 win over Nassaji Mazandaran, needing a penalty from Ghaem Eslamikhah three minutes into injury time to seal the deal.  

 

Other matches saw Shams Azhar defeat Rafsanjan 3-1 and Aluminium Arak overcome Zob Ahan 2-0.

FC Abdysh-Ata kicked off their Kyrgyz Republic Premier League campaign with a 2-0 win over Ilbirs Bishkek FC. The defending champions also clinched the curtain-raiser Kyrgyz Super Cup to open the season on the best possible foot. 

Last year’s league runners-up Dordoi Bishkek played out a goalless draw with Oshmu-Aldier. Muras United, who lost the Super Cup to Abdish-Ata, beat FC Alga Bishkek 4-0 in a match that saw both sides reduced to 10 men from the 72nd minute.

 

Other matches saw Alay Osh beat Neftchi Kochkorata 2-0, Kyrgyzaltyn defeat Asiagoal Bishkek 1-0, Talant FC overcome FC Bars Issyk-Kul 3-0 and Bishkek City walk away 3-1 winners over FC Ozgon. 

Turkmenistan: Ahal set early pace

Last season’s runners-up FC Ahal defeated Nebitchi Balkanabat 2-0 as the Yokary Liga kicked off with three matches. 

The other two matches saw Shagadam Turkmenbashi emerge 1-0 winners over FK Merw and Altyn Asyr defeat FK Ashgabat by a similar margin.

 

FC Arkadag’s match against Kopetdag Ashgabat was postponed. The defending champions, fresh from a 1-0 win over India’s East Bengal in their AFC Challenge League™ 2024/25 quarter-finals last week, will look to pick up from their amazing league run last season, where they won all 30 of their matches and the Turkmenistan Cup.

FC Nasaf beat FC Sogdiana 1-0 in the Uzbekistan Super League as they look to add a second league title to their trophy cabinet.

Last season’s runners-up FC AGMK beat FC Buxuro 2-1 in the league’s opening match while Qizilqum Zarafshon defeated FC Surkhon 2-0. 

 

Other matches saw Kokand 1912 draw 1-1 with Andizhan and the Bunyodkor and Neftchi Fergana match end with both sides scoring two goals apiece. 

 

Xorazm FK beat FC Shurtan 2-0 while Navbahor Namangan played out a goalless draw with Dinamo Samarqand. 

Tajikistan: Istiklol make winning start

FC Istiklol defeated last season’s runners-up FK Khujand 1-0 to open their defence of the Tajik League. The defending champions have 13 League titles to their name, including 11 straight wins from 2014.

In other matches, Vahsh Bokhtar overcame Esxata Khujand 3-1, CSKA Dushanbe beat Hosilot Farxor 2-1 and Ravshan drew 1-1 with Kulob Istaravshan.