Mohun Bagan have now been coronated as the I-League champions for the 2015 season after they drew their match against Bengaluru FC on Sunday at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore.
The football crazy city Kolkata will now be painted green and maroon, 'sobuj maroon' as they call it, as one of their favourites Mohun Bagan have brought back the national league after waiting for 13 years -- it is also their first title since the league was changed to the I-League from NFL.
Mohun Bagan were two points ahead of Bengaluru FC before this match and they had to just draw the match to clinch the title.
It was raining relentlessly in Bangalore on Sunday, but the soccer-crazy fans, which also included plenty of Bagan supporters, did not leave the stadium as the match swayed one way and then the other.
Bengaluru FC, who needed the win to retain their I-League title, looked hungry for possession right from the start and they kept on attacking the Mariners goal but it seemed that Mohun Bagan came into this match with a dogged determination not to let any of the Bengaluru forwards go past their defence.
However, that defence was broken through by English defender John Johnson in the 41st minute. Benguluru FC kept on creating a lot of pressure on the Mariners defense and they got just what they wanted.
The second half of the match witnessed the visitors putting in relentless attacks. Bagan fans were fearing the worst until the 86th minute, as Bengaluru FC looked the favourites in front of their home crowd.
Nigerian Bello Rasaq, however, changed it all around, equalising for the Mariners and Sanjoy Sen, the head coach of Mohun Bagan, jumped in joy as he knew it was just a matter of a couple of kinutes before his side lifted the I-League trophy after 13 long years.
Bengaluru FC coach Ashley Westwood took a rather bold decision as he did not give the India football team captain Sunil Chettri a start in a match in which they needed nothing but a win. He brought him onto the field only in the 89th minute, but it was too late then. The other striker Robin Singh too did create a number of chances, but failed to convert them into a goal.
The Mariners goalkeeper Shilton Paul was confident that his side would lift the trophy at the end of the day.
"The way we have been playing, I was pretty confident of us winning the I-League. It's really a wonderful feeling winning the trophy after 13 years. It's a result of our team work, combined with the effort that each and everyone of us put in... I'm glad that we are the team to take the national league back to Calcutta after so many years. Getting ready for the party at home," Shilton said at the post match press conference.
Mohun Bagan were crowned the champions of the I-League for the first time, but this was their fourth national league title overall.
