Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) were crowned Indian Super League champions for the second time in three years after they edged out Kerala Blasters 4-3 in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout after a below-par display for 120 minutes in the final at Kochi on Sunday.
Both sides were locked at 1-1 after extra time that led to the shoot-out.
No wonder ATK's marquee co-owner Sourav Ganguly along with Sanjeev Goenka were ecstatic beating a franchise which is co-owned by Sachin Tendulkar.
India international Jewel Raja successfully converted the fifth penalty as the 55,000 capacity crowd at the Nehru Stadium were stunned into silence.
In 2014 final between the two sides, ATK had beaten Kerala Blasters 1-0 in Mumbai.
It was the first penalty shootout in three editions of the cash-rich league.
Besides Jewel Raja, Sameehg Doutie, Borja Fernandez and Javier Lara found the target in the shootout while Iain Hume's shot was blocked by Kerala goalkeeper Graham Stack.
For Kerala, who came into the match after winning six times on the trot before Sunday's match, Antonio German, Kervens Belfort and Mohammed Rafique scored while Elhadji Ndoye and Cedric Hengbart failed to find the target.
The match was devoid of any extraordinary moments or twists and turns, which was there in the summit clash of the last season.
ATK's tournament second highest goal-scorer Hume was quiet for most part of the match as he was not given space by Kerala defenders.
The visiting side’s marquee player Helder Postiga was out of sorts and substituted in the 68th minute. Kerala forwards CK Vineeth and Duckens Nazon also failed to impress after a top-class performance till this summit showdown at their home venue where a capacity crowd turned up to cheer them.
There were no surprises in the starting eleven of both the teams with ATK bringing in marquee player Helder Postiga, league second highest scorer Iain Hume and Sameehg Doutie after 'resting' them in the second-leg semifinals against Mumbai City FC.
Kerala, on the other hand, left out their second-leg semifinal penalty shootout win hero Sandip Nandy in favour of former Arsenal goalkeeper Graham Stack.
With full-to-the-brim crowd egging them on, Kerala started off with a series of attacks but without any serious threat at the ATK goal. Kerala Blasters' India striker CK Vineeth sent a fine pass from the flanks in the second minute but none of his team-mates were in position to convert.
In the 10th minute, Kerala's Kervens Belfort played Mohammed Rafi through inside the box and the former India forward looked to finish it with a powerful shot but Jose Arroyo was just on time to block it.
As the first half wore on, ATK began to look like the side which can score and Postiga had two back-to-back chances but the star Portuguese striker was not up to the mark at both occasions.
He first shot wide off his left foot from inside the Kerala box in the 14th minute after being fed by Hume in a one-touch pass. Postiga had another go at the Kerala goal in the 21st minute but his low left-footer from outside the box also missed the target.
ATK was dominating the match for a while and Kerala got a blow also with marquee player and Irish international defender Aaron Hughes suffered an injury and was replaced by Elhadji Ndoye in the 35th minute.
But the departure of their defensive pivot did not impact Kerala immediately and it was the home side who took the lead two minutes later with Mohamed Rafi heading in a Mehtab Hossain, and the ful-to-the-brim crowd went wild in celebration.
Their celebration did not last long though with ATK finding the equaliser through Henrique Sereno seven minutes later and just a minute before half time whistle. Sereno beat Sandesh Jhingan to nod the ball home as he found himself at the receiving end of a Doutie corner.
Not a single shot at the goal came midway into the second half from both sides as it was an end-to-end action. ATK coach Jose Molina decided to replace out-of-sorts Postiga with Javier Lara in the 68th minute.
Kerala made a double substitution in the 77th minute with Antonio German and Mohammed Rafique coming in for Duckens Nazon and Rafi but nothing much changed in his side's fortunes.
The home side had two close shaves towards the end of the regulation time. ATK midfielder Lalrindika Ralte had an attempt on goal with a low shot drilled at the far post in the 82nd minute and Kerala goalkeeper Graham Stack dived to the full to his left but could not get a hand as the shot went wide.
In the 90th minute, Ralte again sent a low cross across the face of the Kerala goal, hoping to be met by his team mates but Cedric Hengbart, Kerala's defensive wall, slid and intercepted it for a corner.
(With inputs from PTI)
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