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Deshorn Brown Aiming for Postseason Success in Indian Super League

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 03/05/21, 10:16AM EST

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Former Rowdies, Energy FC forward has notched five goals to send Northeast United into ISL Semifinals


Jamaican forward Deshorn Brown has notched five goals in eight games since his move to Northeast United midway through the India Super League regular season, which helped propel the side to its second postseason appearance. | Photo courtesy Northeast Unit

Northeast United will make its second appearance in the Indian Super League Playoffs on Saturday night at GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim, India, with a familiar face to longtime USL Championship fans having played a key role in its regular season run to the postseason.

Once a key figure for the Tampa Bay Rowdies and OKC Energy FC, Deshorn Brown has been front and center for the Highlanders with five goals in eight appearances to close out the regular season after a midseason move from Bengaluru FC. The Jamaican international’s tallies helped Northeast end the season on a nine-game undefeated streak and secure third place in the ISL’s final standings.

Brown’s arrival coincided with the other key point of the Highlanders’ season. Struggling for form in seventh position in the standings, the club made a coaching change, appointing Khalid Jamil to replace Gerard Nus on January 12.

Three days later, the club made the move for Brown, who immediately found the scoresheet in a 2-1 win against Jamshedpur that began the club’s current run of form. Having gone without a goal in the first half of the season with Bengaluru, the finish lifted the pressure from Brown, who went on to score four goals in his first five appearances for the Highlanders.

Now Northeast will take on ATK Mohun Bagan over two legs for a berth in the ISL where Brown and fellow attackers Luis Machado – whose seven goals led the side – and Federico Gallego could play a key role. When scoring first during the regular season, the Highlanders went undefeated in 13 games, something they’ll be hoping to continue against the second-place finishers.

“All the players have worked very hard,” Jamil told the Times of India. “Because of them, we have reached here. I never think about the nine matches. It's about right from the first game. The boys have worked hard, and I am very proud to be their coach.”

The Highlanders kick off the first leg of the Semifinals against ATK Mohun Bagan at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday with all the action available live on ESPN+.

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