CALCUTTA, Sept 13: Mohun Bagan lifted the KBL Federation Cup football title at the Salt Lake Stadium here, defeating East Bengal 2-1 in the final today. Bagan rode on East Bengal goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey's mistake and two early goals to take home the coveted Cup on a day which saw the sun peep out of its cloud cover for the first time in four days.Mid-fielder Amit Das gave Bagan an early lead in the ninth minute, when his 25-yarder was deflected by rival defender Anit Ghosh into the East Bengal goal. IM Vijayan might consider his strike, Bagan's second goal 11 minutes later, a gift from Chaubey. Having received a high ball from Iraqi mid-fielder Yonnan Basim, Vijayan noticed Chaubey jumping out. The striker just had to head the ball over Chaubey from the top of the box.Although East Bengal did get a consolation goal, the 89th minute strike by Carlton Chapman came too late for them to restore parity. The four minutes of injury-time added at the end of play, threw up a couple of chances for East Bengal,but Bagan defenders were not in a mood to allow that. Bagan coach Amal Dutta's moment of joy came with the long whistle as his remodelled diamond had sparkled at last.The game, played on a wet slippery ground, started off at a very good pace with East Bengal firing a round at the Bagan citadel in the very first minute. Raman Vijayan's attempt off Chapman's cross went past the goal. In the sixth minute, a vintage Bhaichung Bhutia header had goalkeeper Hemant Dora leaping to save. The first goal was the next big happening in the game which saw most of the action in the first half. Amit Das snatched the ball away from Chapman and sent it goalward. Chaubey had it covered at the far post, but a sudden deflection off Anit Ghosh left him with no chance. The goal was against the run of play and acted as a catalyst for Bagan.In the play-off for third place, Churchill Brothers defeated Mohameddan Sporting by a solitary second-half goal. Elvis Fernandes, not a regular for the Goa side, scored in the 86th minuteto prevent a 1-2-3 for Calcutta.Churchill, deprived of key players due to injury, kept up the pressure on Sporting with the Calcutta side making sporadic attempts.
