First-timers Bengaluru Football Club wrote a new chapter in Indian football by clinching the I-League title in their debut season courtesy a 4-2 away win over Dempo Sports Club here, with captain Sunil Chhetri fittingly netting the final goal.
Needing a win to claim the title ahead of other established teams, Bengaluru led from start to finish on Monday.
They scored through Sean Rooney (2nd), Robin Singh (56th), John Menyongar (79th) and captain Sunil Chhetri (90+7).
Dempo reduced the margin through Roberto Silva (82nd) and substitute Romeo Fernandes (89th).
After Rooney had given them a dream start in the second minute, there was no looking back. Dempo threatened a brief fightback but that was not enough to thwart Bengaluru.
The win helped the Southern club accumulate 44 points and take an unassailable lead with one round still to be played.
East Bengal and Salgaocar Football Club will play for the second and third spot.
Bengaluru needed a win from any of their last two matches to emerge triumphant but in the end it was clear that they would not leave it to the last.
Robin scored in the 56th minute to give his team a 2-0 lead. With ten minutes left to be played, Bengaluru put the issue beyond doubt when John Menyongar made it 3-0.
There was brief resurgence from Dempo as Brazilian midfielder Roberto Mendes da Silva pulled a goal back in the 82nd minute and Romeo Fernandes then scrambled home to make it 2-3.
But India and Bengaluru captain Chhetri scored the winners’ fourth goal of the evening.
Coach Ashley Westwood was suspended for the game and assistant coach Pradyum Reddy took charge in the dugout.
But Westwood had done enough in pre-match preparations to help his team sail through.
They started with a flourish when Rooney gave them a second-minute lead.
Captain Chhetri took a quick throw in to Robin, whose shot across the goal was met with glee by Rooney past a bewildered Dempo defence.
Dempo did not have a single shot on goal for most part of the first half and goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani had to make a double-save to keep Robin quiet from a blistering quick counter-attack.
Rangdajied survive
Rangdajied United FC escaped relegation after securing a point in a goalless draw against Shillong Lajong FC in front of a nearly-packed JN Stadium on Monday.
Rangdajied, thus, ended their season with 25 points from 24 matches, leaving behind former I-League champions Churchill Brothers and Mohammedan Sporting FC in the relegation zone.
Lajong FC, on the other hand, with 33 points from 23 outings and a match yet to be played, remained in the top tier of seven teams.
