Indian football heavyweights Mohun Bagan clinched their second I-League title with a 1-0 win over Aizawl FC with four rounds to go in the season here on Tuesday.
Prolific Senegalese striker Baba Diawara scored theall-important goal for Mohun Bagan in the 80th minute to beat former championsAizawl in their 16th round match and give their supporters a memorable Holigift.
It was former Sevilla striker’s 10th goal from nineconsecutive games.
With Tuesday’s win at the Kalyani Municipality Stadium,Mohun Bagan have 39 points from 16 matches.
are 16 points ahead of second-placed East Bengal (23 pointsfrom 16 matches) who cannot catch up their arch city rivals even if they winall their four remaining matches.
Mohun Bagan, who won their first I-League title in 2014-15season, also matched Dempo’s record of wrapping up I-League title with maximummatches left to play.
Dempo SC of Goa had also sealed the I-League title in2009-10 season with four matches left to play.
The title in their pocket, Mohun Bagan will also enter their second leg Kolkata Derby match against arch rivals East Bengal on Sunday with a psychological advantage. They had beaten East Bengal 2-1 in the first leg on January 19. Aizawl were not, however, intimidated either by the occasion or the 17,000 partisan home crowd which had packed the stands as they dished out a thoroughly professional performance in the first half.