Last season in top flight? Three reasons why I-league 2018-19 was special

2. Title race going down the wire

Gaurav Bora struck a brace against Minerva Punjab to seal the I-League title for Chennai City

Over the last five seasons, the I-League title race has gone down the wire on four occasions.

This year, until the last few matchdays, it seemed any of Churchill Brothers, Real Kashmir, East Bengal and Chennai City could end up lifting the title.

On the final day, however, only the latter two prevailed.

Chennai seemed the likeliest of the four as they sat atop the standings for the majority of the season.

However, a 2-3 loss to Churchill Brothers in their penultimate fixture meant East Bengal’s 0-1 win against Minerva Punjab inserted the Kolkata club back in the title reckoning.

On the final day, in Coimbatore, Roland Bilala opened the scoring for Minerva, throwing Chennai’s title chances up in the air.

Pedro Manzi, Chennai’s goal machine, however, levelled from the spot 10 minutes into the second half before Gaurav Bora bagged a brace to clinch the title for Akbar Nawas’ men minutes later.

In the end, East Bengal’s 1-2 victory over Gokulam Kerala didn’t matter as Chennai won the title in only their third and probably final season in the top-flight.

Last season, Minerva Punjab won it on the final day. The year before that, Aizawl claimed a Leicester City-like fairytale to be crowned the I-League champions.

Mohun Bagan similarly pipped Bengaluru FC for the I-League title in 2014-15 but Bengaluru reclaimed it the very next season.