Joel Chianese, Liston Colaco put on a show for Hyderabad against ineffective NorthEast United

When Hyderabad took on NorthEast United in the 51st match of the seventh season of the Indian Super League (ISL), the teams knew that the three points were going to be important because it would take them back into the top four. Only a point separated the two teams ahead of the game and NorthEast United were winless for five matches. 

Hyderabad won the game 4-2, in the end, and there was a lot of drama at the end of each half. There were also multiple star performers for the winning team but two names do stand out - Liston Colaco and Joel Chianese. 

Colaco appeared in a total of five ISL matches for FC Goa and realized he needed to move on to get minutes and he's finally getting the attention his talent deserves at his new club during the ongoing 2020-21 season. He was one of the two players who made a difference for Hyderabad against their opponents in a match that seemed to be evenly contested for most parts.

It took three minutes for Hyderabad to break the deadlock when Joel Chianese decided to embark on a run into the box from the right flank. He managed to hold on to the ball despite the multiple incoming challenges from the defenders and delivered it to Aridane Santana who found the net with aplomb. 

Hyderabad were the more confident team in the early stage and it could well have been due to the 4-1 win in their last game against Chennaiyin. The Nizams had more desire to win the ball high up the field, which is what Akash Mishra did to set up the second goal. The full-back nicked the ball off Benjamin Lambot on the left flank and found Joel inside the box who curled an effort in off the post. 

After the game, Hyderabad boss Manuel Marquez said that he was happy with this team's performance throughout the game except for the last 10 minutes of the first half. And that was when NorthEast United seemed to be in with a shout. 

The Highlanders, quite incredibly, scored twice in two minutes. Halicharan Narzary, who was fantastic against Chennaiyin and had scored a brace, brought down Ashutosh Mehta inside the box and gave away a penalty that Federico Gallego converted.

For the second, there was chaos inside the box when Mehta hit the post from Lalrempuia's cross from the right flank. The ball fell to Gallego and then Sylla who both failed to beat the keeper before Lambot smashed home from close range. Both the goals conceded could have been easily avoided had the defence been a bit more alert. 

An energetic Liston Colaco replaced Mohammed Yasir and started charging at a tired NorthEast defence from the 64th minute. And the move turned out to be a masterstroke.

Colaco used his brilliant footwork to dribble past Roccharzela, Gurjinder Kumar and Khassa Camara after cutting in from the right flank to curl the ball into the top left corner of the net. It was a goal of sheer individual brilliance. 

Santana, who acted as a good focal point for the Hyderabad attack, chested a long ball brilliantly into the path of Colaco in the final minute of added time and the Goan forward beat the keeper with a neat finish to secure the win for his team. 

While it was Chianese who impressed in the beginning, it was Colaco who brought the curtains down on the game in style. Mehta, who was impressive at right-back, was one of the only shining spots in that NorthEast lineup. 

Hyderabad's impressive outings with a lot of talented Indians in the squad continue whereas NorthEast United fall further into a winless abyss that could make or break their season.