Atletico de Kolkata beat Kerala Blasters 1-0 to become ISL champions

Mumbai, Dec 20 (IANS) Substitute Mohammad Rafique fired in an injury time header as Atletico De Kolkata clinched the inaugural Indian Super League crown with a 1-0 win over Kerala Blasters here Saturday.

Rafique, who replaced Mohammad Rafi in the 74th minute of the mega clash at the packed D.Y. Patil stadium, followed up a corner from Czech defender Jakub Podany to fire the header in the 94th minute, a minute before the second half injury time was slated to end to send ATK fans into raptures here as also in Kolkata and other parts of the world.

Rafique - later adjudged hero of the match - ran into the box, outjumped rival defender Nirmal Chetri and put the ball into the net past Blasters' veteran custodian- cum-coach David James to decide the fate of the game which seemed poised to roll into extra time.

It was a revenge of sorts for the Sourav Ganguly co-owned ATK, which had lost 1-2 to the Blasters in Kochi in the return leg of the round robin stage. The two sides had finished 1-1 in the first leg.