Delhi Dynamos' winning run came to a halt when they were held to a goalless draw at home by NorthEast United FC on Wednesday. Both the sides created opportunities from the word go and looked evenly placed but couldn't really convert the chances.
Young NorthEast United FC goalkeeper TP Rehenesh made three spectacular saves to deny Delhi Dynamos a win - much to the agony of the home supporters at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
NorthEast were without their marquee player Joan Capdevila and Koke who missed out due to injuries but despite their absence, the match was evenly contested with the biggest crowd turning up at the stadium.
The visiting team too had their share of supporters among the 20,000-odd crowd with a large number of Delhi-based youngsters from the eight states of that region turning up to cheer for them.
The visitors looked dangerous early on with Czech Republican defender Tomas Josl creating a chance from the left flank in the first few seconds of the match. His throw led to a penalty appeal for a handball and then his subsequent cross was cleared by the Delhi defender at the far post.
Striker Durga Boro gave another threat to the home team with his ambitious shot but eventually miscued it to go well off target.
Delhi Dynamos too didn't take long to respond. In the 10th minute, Shylo nearly got on the end of it but the NorthEast goalie Rehenesh did well to clear it on time.
Delhi's star player and legendary Italian Alessandro del Piero joined the party in the 14th minute with a brilliant left-footer but the shot missed the target just by a whisker. The home team come forward again in the 18th minute and Del Piero with his right peg this time tried to curl one into the opposite corner from outside the box and went just as close as his previous effort.
The Delhi Dynamos onslaught was not looking to end quickly with Del Piero again doing brilliantly to chip a ball through for Mulder from the edge of the box but Rehenesh came off his line and cleared the danger just in time.
Del Piero won a free-kick off Boro's challenge in the 37th minute and almost made it through for the home team but his shot forced the forced the keeper into a comfortable save.
Josl got the first Yellow card of the match in the 42nd minute after he went down in the box chasing down a ball from de Crasto but was instead booked for simulation. But soon after Josl unleashed a screamer that nearly took the visitors ahead. His left-footed shot from range dips ended up on the right side of the post.
If the first half was jaw-dropping, the second half was even more compelling. The visitors again looked dangerous early on with Aiborlang Khongjee making a good run down the right but Delhi defender Wim Raymaekers did well to clear it on time.
NorthEast were looking the better side in the second half with English forward James Keene and Durga Boro making dangerous attempts. In the 50 minute, Boro fired a shot from range but it got deflected off Raymaekers and Van Hout tapped it behind for a corner just to be safe. In the 52nd minute, Keene won a free-kick from a decent position for NorthEast for Raymaeker's challenge. The kick was taken by Brazilian Felipe de Castro, who smashed it into the wall. The ball eventually came to Boro whose left-footer shot went straight into Van Hout's hand.
The home team made their real attempt for the goal in the 55th minute when Del Piero played a ball to the near post which Junker flicked towards the goal but his effort crashed off the post.
The NorthEast replied with another good move when Keene played the ball to the edge of the box for Felipe to run onto. But the Brazilian laid it off for substitute Leo Bertos, whose shot is over the bar.
The visitors surged in the final minutes, getting a few crosses but couldn't find the target.
With the draw, Delhi Dynamos remained on fourth in the league standings with six points from four matches while NorthEast United FC also maintained their third spot with eight points from five games.
The Dynamos are unbeaten in the league with three draws and a win.
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