Punjab FC and NorthEast United FC Battle to 1-1 Draw in ISL Thriller

Effiong equalised three minutes later, as the Highlanders and Shers shared the spoils in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 season, here at the Jawahar Lal Nehru (JLN) stadium on Monday, according to a release.

The 1-1 result meant Punjab improved one spot to move up to eighth on the table with four points with a game in hand, while the Highlanders remained on 10th with three points after four games.

Going into the final match of gameweek four, NorthEast gaffer Juan Pedro Ben Ali opted for one change from their previous 1-1 draw against Mumbai City FC, bringing in Macarton Nickson in midfield.

His Punjab counterpart, Panagiotis Dilmperis, on the other hand, chose to put faith in the same eleven which got them the season's first win against Bengaluru FC in the previous encounter.

The visitors had the better of exchanges in the first quarter of an hour, a couple of early corners leading to Spanish centre-back Michel Zabaco missing a golden opportunity, after Lalrinzuala had found him free with a measured cross from the left flank.

A minute later, NorthEast United winger Jithin MS also found some space to dink one across and above the keeper, but he too missed the target as did Zabaco earlier.

Punjab then had a good spell, and Spanish midfielder Daniel Ramirez missed a free header, followed by Effiong having his first shot on target.

Dilmperis was forced into a double substitution at the half-hour mark as Nikhil Prabhu got injured, and one of them, Suhail, created two chances, one for himself, near the close of the half. Parthib, though, had the last great chance of the half, but the dreadlock could not be broken.

The second half initially saw some scrappy play with three bookings in the first few minutes, but soon the goal came when Parthib latched on to a loose ball after Rinzuala was boxed in by three defenders. He controlled wonderfully to drive forward and slot it with composure past Arshdeep Singh's right to give the Highlanders the lead.

The equaliser came instantly after Suhail, who had been a livewire down the left since coming on, won yet another of his battles with Redeem Talang, to burst into the box and cut back in for Effiong to side-tap in on the turn. It was the Nigerian's third goal of the ISL season and third in two games.

The Shers looked more eager for the win as the game drew to a close, but Samir Zeljkovic, who was the like-for-like replacement for Prabhu, was denied by the flag after slotting one in and the game ended in a stalemate.

- ANI