New Delhi, May 29 -- In any other season, in any other league, this would have been a dream scenario. Four teams were in with a fair chance, five mathematically, for the title heading into the final matchday. Leading the race were two teams from Indian football's nerve centre Kolkata, Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal, whose history and rivalry well pre-dates the Indian Super League.

Bagan, the defending champion, East Bengal, a club established by immigrants from present-day Bangladesh in 1920, the perennial challenger. The theatre of football came alive in the last 90 minutes of the season as Bagan, East Bengal, Mumbai City FC and Punjab FC rode their destiny. East Bengal were in pole position, level on points with Bagan but had ...