Chennai finished with 43 points, one ahead of Quess East Bengal (QEB), who despite winning their final game in Kozhikode against Gokulam Kerala, saw their dreams of the first-ever title triumph fade away in Coimbatore.

Pedro Manzi, their premiere Spanish striker fittingly scored a goal to join Churchill Brother’s Willis Plaza as the joint top scorer of the league with 21 goals apiece, but the day undoubtedly belonged to the young Gaurav Bora, a versatile defender cum midfielder who capped off a brilliant season with a double-strike when it mattered most for his team.

It did not begin perfectly as Minerva took an early lead in the 3rd minute of the game through Ukranian recruit Roland Bilala. It was off a Juan Querro free-kick from the right flank, that he rose to beat his marker and lodge his header into the back of the net.

Chennai kept pressing thereafter and with Nestor Gordillo missing through suspension, it was left to his fellow Spaniard Sandro Rodriguez to fuel all attacks. He along with Slovakian Jozef Kaplan and Romario Jesuraj, both of whom were constantly switching flanks, were constantly trying to create for Manzi.

For Minerva, most of their openings were being created by Querro from the left flank. The diminutive Spaniard finding goal-scorer Roland again in the 40th minute with a wonderful cross, but the Ukranian could not make most of a free-header this time.

Upon commencement of the second half, Chennai continued to get better control of the game. A Sydney Vanspaul effort in the 53rd minute from distance missed the target, but not by much.

Two minutes later, Chennai got the opening they were looking for on a platter. Akashdeep Singh in an effort to clear inadvertently handled the ball inside the box and referee Santhosh Bhaskaran had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Manzi displayed outrageous confidence in pointing the goalkeeper to the spot where he would be placing the ball and did exactly what to bring Chennai firmly back into title reckoning.

The young Gaurav Bora then made a name for a lifetime with two stunning strikes to put the issue beyond anyone’s doubt. Both goals came off corners taken by Sandro from the right flank.

The first in the 69th minute was earned by Sandro himself who then delivered perfectly and Bora coming in on the far post unmarked connected with a crisp volley to put Chennai ahead.

Then if QEB had any hopes remaining of a dying minute Minerva equalizer, Bora put paid them in the 3rd minute of injury time when off another Sandro corner, he came in and rose to head even more crisply to bulge the back of the Minerva net.

It was a fitting attacking and professional end to a brilliant campaign ably steered by Singaporean coach Akbar Nawas and as Bhaskaran blew for full-time there scenes of emotions and joy all around the stadium.

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With East Bengal breathing down their necks, Akbar Nawas’ side is on the cusp of creating history and all eyes will be on their star forward Pedro Manzi, who has had a breathtaking debut season in Indian football.

The Spaniard, who has scored 20 goals so far, is tied with Churchill Brothers’ Willis Plaza at the top of the Highest Scorers’ race, and if things go according to his plan on Saturday, he can end up with two trophies to cherish for a lifetime.

I-League.org caught up with the 30-year-old marksman for an exclusive chat ahead of the deciding clash. Here are some excerpts.

Q) What are your thoughts on the season so far? Were you expecting to be on top in the final rounds of the season?

PM) We have worked hard to be where we are at this moment on the table. Our philosophy is to go out and win all the matches, and so yes, I have to say we expected to be fighting for the title, come the end of the season.

Q) Your partnership with your Spanish compatriots has been talked about a lot. What are your thoughts on it?

PM) We’ve known each other for years now! We have played together in Spain, which certainly makes things easier on and off the pitch. However, it’s not just about the association between us foreign players – the domestic Indian players also form an important part of the team and have a major role to play.

Q) What are your thoughts on the Indian players in the team? Do you feel they have the potential to make it big in the coming years?

PM) Definitely, the Indian players in the team are full of potential. There are a number of young talents such as Romario Jesuraj, Ajith Kumar, etc. who are constantly improving and help the team perform better in the competition.

Q) What has coach Akbar Nawas’ role been in the team’s strong performance?

PM) The coach has played an extremely important role, especially considering the fact that we are trying to play with a philosophy that is very different from the one played here in India. He has assessed the strengths of each player excellently and turned us into a cohesive unit.

Q) What would being the top scorer and possible league champion mean to you professionally and personally?

PM) Being the golden boot winner is obviously a huge honour but the most important thing is to win the league. The team has worked really hard to get where we are and we just need to keep up the spirit and give our best in the last Hero I-League match. From there, we will look to carry forward our momentum into the Hero Super Cup.

Also Read: Joseph winner helps Gokulam steer clear of relegation

Also Read: Esqueda and East Bengal take title race to final day!

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The 2-1 result was the same as the earlier game at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) where East Bengal had lost after taking the lead.

Chennai’s Spanish striker Pedro Manzi scored his 11th goal of the season while Romario Jesuraj also scored to take the hosts to the top of the 12th Hero I-League, five points ahead of second-placed Churchill Brothers.

East Bengal are on sixth with a game in hand. Despite Laldanmawia Ralte’s fourth goal of the season their hopes of winning a first ever I-League trophy looks like a mirage.

Both teams made one change to their starting eleven. East Bengal coach Alejandro Garcia was forced to replace Lalram Chullova (suspended after a red-card in the game against Indian Arrows) with Samad Ali Mallick.

Chennai coach Akbar Nawas, on the other hand, played Pravitto Raju in place of Shem Martin Eugene.

East Bengal took an early lead in the ninth minute. As defender Borja desperately headed back across goal in a bid to clear…the ball fell to Ralte who nodded home from close range!

Chennai upped the ante as they searched for an equalizer. A wonderful pass from Roberto Eslava found its way into the box to Nestor only for Samad to shield him away in the nick of time.

As Sandro unleashed a rasping drive from outside the box East Bengal goalkeeper Dagar executed a fine save in the 34th minute. Though Chennai were a goal down into the break they clearly were the better team.

They equalized in the 49th minute thanks to Manzi’s 11th goal of the season. That strike made him the season’s joint top-scorer with Churchill’s Willis Plaza.

Romario Jesuraj had pulled the ball back for an onrushing Edwin Vanspaul in the build-up to the goal. And as Vanspaul’s strike deflected off Manzi and wrong-footed Dagar…Chennai had equalized!

The hosts later went ahead thanks to a brilliant tactical change by Nawas. Raju was sent wide on the right and Romario Jesuraj was brought in-field.

A failed interception by East Bengal left back Manoj Mohammad allowed Raju to lay it off for Romario who shot to the top right past a befuddled Dagar!

Romario Jesuraj was adjudged the ‘Hero of the Match’.

Both teams play their next game in four days’ time. Chennai play Aizawl at home while East Bengal face an in-form Indian Arrows in Kolkata.

Also Read: HERO I-LEAGUE: Norde magic helps Bagan down Neroca FC

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