The winners got richer by Rs 8 crore while the runners-up got Rs 4 crore. The two semifinal losers got Rs 1.5 crore each.
MARGAO
It was a heartbreak for the thousands of FC Goa fans! The Gaurs who were on the brink of winning the Indian Super League season 2 title, were stopped in their tracks by Chennaiyin FC, at Nehru stadium on Sunday.
An own goal from goalkeeper Kattimani and a 90th minute strike from Stiven Mendoza helped the visitors to pull off a stunning 3-2 win from the jaws of defeat.
Chennaiyin FC appeared to be losing the plot as the game trickled towards the closing minutes with FC Goa leading 2-1, but two last-gasp strikes sent shock waves in the Goan camp, with virtually no time to recuperate.
The home side appeared set for victory when a free kick from midfielder Joffre gave them a 2-1 lead with only three minutes of normal time left.
But Goa goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani, who had earlier saved two penalties, then punched a cross into his own net in the 90th minute before Mendoza completed the scoring by waltzing through a shell-shocked Goa defence.
After netting the winner, the 23-year-old whipped off his shirt at the start of celebrations, which intensified when the final whistle went barely 90 seconds later.
Colombian Mendoza, who continued with his fine form in the tournament today, was later named as the best player of the tournament besides also winning the Golden Boot Award for scoring highest number of 13 goals. He though missed a penalty kick in the match.
For Chennaiyin, coached by Italian World Cup winner Marco Materazzi, the triumph was all the more remarkable as they had to shift to Pune for their semifinals first leg after their home venue was devastated by the floods.
The thrilling final, attended by the likes of Indian Test cricket team captain and Goa co-owner Virat Kohli and his actress girlfriend Anushka Sharma besides Chennaiyin owner Abhishek Bachchan and ISL Chairperson Nita Ambani, brought a climactic end to the season of the lucrative league.
