Leicester City FC did the unthinkable in the 2015-16 English Premier League when they clinched the silverware after escaping themselves from clutches of relegation in the previous season. Well, in the I-League, that story has been repeated for three seasons running and, this time the protagonist was Chennai City FC.
The Coimbatore-based side beat Minerva Punjab 3-1 by coming from behind after going down in the 3rd minute. Pedro Manzi’s spot-kick and Gaurav Bora’s brace in a span of thirty minutes ensured East Bengal’s 2-1 win over Gokulam FC in the other game became fruitless.
Twitteratis saluted the valiant efforts of the Chennai City FC players, all of whom have rags-to-riches story, and expressed sympathy to the East Bengal fans, who couldn’t end their fourteen years wait. Here is the quirkiest of the lot:
Gaurav Bora! 🧡🏆#HeroILeague #ILeagueIConquer pic.twitter.com/jPOzgmdZ8U
— Hero I-League (@ILeagueOfficial) March 9, 2019
This post by Kasim Aidara should be given a serious thought by AIFF (@IndianFootball ). Hope AIFF Integrity officer would investigate the reasons behind Minerva pulling out 3 foreigners in the 2nd half in their crucial tie against @ChennaiCityFC .Till half time CC was 0-1 down pic.twitter.com/efyr1Th1kQ
— EAST BENGAL News Analysis (@QEBNA) March 9, 2019
To all @eastbengalfc fans we @minervapunjabfc are very sorry for not winning today but please don’t say we didn’t try / we actually played our hearts out – see the match first and decide – all three goals were set pieces & that wasn’t a penalty as hand wasn’t out of position 🙏🏽
— Ranjit Bajaj (@THE_RanjitBajaj) March 9, 2019
No one deserves more plaudits for this than @roh00. Remember a conversation with him during a CFA League match a few years ago on how fielding a team in #ILeague second division. To go from there to being champions of India in such a short time is mindblowing! #IndianFootball
— Vishnu Prasad (@visheprasad) March 9, 2019
What a day for a life-long Tamil Nadu football fan! @ChennaiCityFC are champions of India & they started with 5 TN players in #CCFCMPFC
Yes football is alive & kicking in TN. @sriram_madhavan @StarSportsTamil @VishnoW @scarletrun @SonofDhavamani @NaanumEngineer @vijayan04 pic.twitter.com/tkae7oSA7D— TN Raghu (@tnrags) March 9, 2019
That emotion from @tnrags and @VishnoW at the end of the Chennai City game! That's what Football is all about! Brilliant!
— Aaditya Narayan (@Aaditya_LFC) March 9, 2019
Luchando hasta el último momento! En mi corazón sois campeones!! Siempre con vosotros 💛♥️⚽💪 Joy East Bengal!!! Enhorabuena Chennai por ese primer puesto.
— Marichéspinnera (@marichespinnera) March 9, 2019
Have been out of coverage area and unable to send out tweets.
Bora you beautiful man.@PeterManzi19 is love.@roh00 deivamey!!!
Ecstatic!!!! #CCFC #ILeagueIChampions #NammaTamizhagam
— BOOM BOOM BHOLENATH (@Appatakker) March 9, 2019
Tamil Nadu, whose state team won the senior women's national championship last season, now has a men's top-flight champion for the first time. 👏
— Bhargab Sarmah (@BhargabSarmah) March 9, 2019
The goal from Danmawia Ralte that was good to secure 3 points,but not the league-the goal that is enough for coach @Alemengar to start work on the goal of Ajit Isaac of QUESS to convert @eastbengalfc to a World Class football club
…THE STORY BEGINS…@marioriverasoy @NodarPaz pic.twitter.com/W3YAFJ4TgO— EAST BENGAL News Analysis (@QEBNA) March 9, 2019
Missed watching the game today but have been so so pleased with the achievement of @ChennaiCityFC – Simply awesome guys! THE champions. And feels GOOD to say this 😊😊👍👍 Well done team and brilliant stuff @roh00 #ChennaiCityFC
— RK (@RK_sports) March 9, 2019
This is one of the most unpredictable and amazing football success stories — huge congrats @ChennaiCityFC first time national champions! Going to be amazing to see a Chennai team in the AFC champions league next season! https://t.co/121s9dn2hj
— Ananth Krishnan (@ananthkrishnan) March 9, 2019
যারা Saltlake Stadium এ "চা – চিনি – দুধ" এর flex লাগিয়েছিল, এটা তাদের জন্য আমাদের তরফ থেকে ।। pic.twitter.com/UaSVogaXlc
— The Mariners' (@MohunBagan) March 9, 2019
Class act @minervapunjabfc @THE_RanjitBajaj 👌👌👌👌 pic.twitter.com/dzCrixcxKg
— Chennai City FC (@ChennaiCityFC) March 9, 2019
. @AizawlFC's was a fairy-tale & @minervapunjabfc's was made of grit. @ChennaiCityFC’s title was built on executing the perfect plan – week after week, team after team, a title made of tactical brilliance and togetherness. @ILeagueOfficial – of the unsung, unfancied, under-rated
— Pulasta Dhar (@TheFalseNo9) March 9, 2019
As I get older, the world around me keeps changing and I do find myself looking back on the good old days wishing that I could relive them again. Amid all this, there remain some constants that keep me sane. Constants like East Bengal fucking up in the I-League #15YearsOfFailure
— Arnab (@Fustercluck21) March 9, 2019
🇸🇬 #Singapore coach Akbar Nawas has created history in 🇮🇳 #India! 👏👏
His @ChennaiCityFC have been crowned the new 🇮🇳 @ILeagueOfficial champions 🏆 only in their third season in the Indian top division. 🔝🔝#ILeagueIConquer #CCFChttps://t.co/dO7VbvolGe
— FOX Sports Asia (@FOXSportsAsia) March 9, 2019
Congratulations @ChennaiCityFC💪The newly crowned @ILeagueOfficial
champions.🎉🎊🎆🎇🏆
Thank you @roh00 sir for introducing more local players.🙏 #ILeagueIConquer #HeroILeague— Akash Rajendran (@IamAkash9819) March 9, 2019
@soosairajmichal anna will be the happiest person now. @ChennaiCityFC @ILeagueOfficial #ILeagueIConquer
— Navaneethan 07 (@Navaneeth7697) March 9, 2019
When Bengaluru FC moved to ISL the talk between Mohun Bagan & East Bengal was whoever won the derby would win the league. Oh, how they would be shocked. This league is unpredictable as hell.
— Somnath Sengupta (@baggiholic) March 9, 2019
While @ChennaiCityFC dance in joy, it's yet another year of heartbreak for @eastbengalfc. I pray that we don't hear any bad news over the next couple of days.
— Archak Sengupta (@archaksg) March 9, 2019
