Aizawl FC created history by becoming the first north-eastern outfit to be crowned Hero I-League champions after a 1-1 draw against Shillong Lajong at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on Sunday. Aser Pierrick Dipanda gave Shillong the lead in the ninth minute but a William Lalnunfela equaliser in the second half helped Aizawl over the finish line, ensuring they became the first champion club to hail from the north-east.

Perennial title contenders Mohun Bagan finished runners-up courtesy of a 2-1 win over Chennai City at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium in Kolkata on Sunday. Chennai took the lead soon after the half-hour mark thanks to a searing run and composed finish by Nandakumar. The Mariners equalised through skipper Katsumi Yusa (NorthEast United FC) on the stroke of half-time when the Japanese palymaker executed a slick first-time finish with his right foot to beat the keeper. Top-scorer Darryl Duffy netted the winner 13 minutes from full-time after meeting Jeje Lalpekhlua’s (Chennaiyin FC) low cross from the right on the volley.

Bagan’s fierce local rivals East Bengal also ended their campaign with a win at the expense of the relegated Mumbai FC. Bikash Jairu (Atlético de Kolkata) opened the scoring for the Red and Gold Brigade in the seventh minute before Willis Plaza doubled their lead five minutes from half-time. After Wedson Anselme made it 3-0 for East Bengal in the 62nd minute, Plaza bagged his second of the night and his side’s fourth six minutes later at the Cooperage Ground in Mumbai on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru FC brought down the curtain on their campaign with an emphatic 3-0 triumph against Churchill Brothers at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday. Daniel Lalhlimpuia (Chennaiyin FC) opened the scoring for the Blues in the fifth minute and Udanta Singh (Mumbai City FC) extended their lead 10 minutes before the break. They bagged a third in the 84th minute after another clinical finish from Mandar Rao Dessai (FC Goa).

The highest-scoring and most entertaining fixture of the weekend saw DSK Shivajians host relegation candidates Minerva Punjab at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune on Sunday. It was an ebb-and-flow encounter that finished 4-4 as Minerva staved off relegation by netting twice in the final ten minutes to secure a crucial point.

A first-half brace from Kim Song-Yong as well as a Juan Quero strike four minutes before the half-time interval made it 3-0 in favour of the hosts. However, Minerva emerged for the second period reinvigorated as they looked to avoid relegation and were back in the game with two goals from Girik Khosla in the 47th and 67th minutes.

DSK re-established a two-goal cushion when Vanlalremkima scored in the 79th minute to set up a grandstand finish which saw Minerva find the back of the net in the 81st minute and injury time thanks to goals from Victor Amobi and Simranjit Singh respectively. The hard-fought draw earned the northern-outfit a point and helped them steer clear of the drop and avoid relegation.

Hero I-League 2017 will thus be remembered as a historic occasion that saw Aizawl top the table ahead of more established football heavyweights like Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Bengaluru FC. Shillong Lajong finished fifth, while Churchill Brothers and DSK Shivajians finished sixth and seventh. New-comers Chennai City and Minerva Punjab ended the season in eight and ninth, whereas Mumbai FC propped up the table, resulting in relegation.