Mohammedan Sporting Club lifted the I-League trophy in front of its fans on Saturday despite losing 1-3 to Delhi FC in its final game of the season at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata.
The match was a dead rubber for Mohammedan, with the Black Panthers confirming the title after beating Shillong Lajong 2-1 on April 6.
The title win has cleared its path to the Indian Super League (ISL) - subject to fulfilling the club licensing criteria - after ten years, when Mohammedan got relegated at the end of the 2013-14 season.
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The Black Panthers entered the field with a guard of honour by Delhi - season’s debutants - but only played catch up right from the seventh minute when Alisher Kholmurodov headed in Pape Gassama’s corner to silence the 40,000 Mohammedan supporters.
Delhi doubled its lead when 18-year-old teenager Gwgwmsar Goyary scored his maiden I-League goal, latching on to Bhupinder Singh’s through ball with an inch-perfect low strike before reeling away in ecstatic celebration.
Bhupinder added another assist to his name as he cut back for Sergio Barboza to tap into the open net in the 98th minute.
The lone Mohammedan goal came with the last kick of the game as Mirjalol Kasimov’s thunderous left-footed strike hit Abhishek Calvin’s arm and looped over the line.
With the win, Delhi FC finished the season in sixth place while Mohammedan Sporting captains Samad Ali Mallick, Zodingliana Ralte and Joseph Adjei hoisted the coveted trophy into the Kolkata sky.
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