MUMBAI: Kolkata's glamour outfit East Bengal pipped Federation Cup and National Football League champions Mahindra United 2-1 to lift the ONGC Super Cup title here on Saturday.
In a pulsating encounter full of goalmouth thrills, runners-up East Bengal took a 2-0 lead in the first half through strikes by Ndem Guy Herve (23rd minute) and captain Alvito D'cunha (32nd).
Playing second fiddle in the first half for the most part, Mahindra came back strongly in the second to reduce the margin in the 66th minute through their African import Yusif Yakubu.
But despite pitching their tent virtually in the East Bengal half and making repeated, dangerous forays deep, the local champions just could not score the equaliser.
In the absence of regular skipper and Best Player of the NFL Bhaichung Bhutia, the left-footed D'Cunha played a stellar role by paving the way for the opening strike and then scoring the second with his swerving corner kick.
D'Cunha supplied the swinging corner kick that was just connected in time from very close by Guy Herve and then scored with another spectacular left-footed flag-kick that beat Mahindra custodian Subhashish Roy Chowdhury and the other defenders to give East Bengal a commanding 2-0 lead.
But, for East Bengal it needed all their skills in deep defence, some luck and a few miskicks from the Mahindra shooters to keep the latter at bay in the last half hour of the tie.
