There had never been a mention of his name in the starting XI for Atletico de Kolkata before. In fact, Mohammad Rafique had only managed to muster a single substitute’s appearance — that too had lasted for just five minutes. It wasn’t different in the final either. Except in the 74th minute, when the 22-year-old was called up to take the field.

His job was simple, try winning the ball in the attacking third and relieve his struggling defenders from Kerala Blasters’ consistent onslaught. In the closing minutes, the Kolkata side finally won a corner.

More than anything, the set piece was to serve as a breather for the steadily tiring backline. But for Rafique’s involvement. He didn’t have to rise above the pack, simply place himself accurately enough to guide Jakub Podany’s cross past David James on the near post.

That was in the 94th minute — Rafique’s 20th since coming on. And that was enough to help his side become the first champions of the ISL. And so it happened that Saurav Ganguly’s Atletico de Kolkata prevailed 1-0 over Sachin Tendulkar’s Kerala Blasters.

LAST MAN STANDING

From the winning team’s point of view, Rafique wasn’t the only important player. He may have been the match winner, but the last man in front of goal, donning the goalkeeper’s gloves, Edel Bete was the match saver.

In the 82nd minute, during one of the Kerala-side’s numerous drives into the opponent half, Iain Hume’s deflected cross found Michael Chopra in the six-yard box.

The Englishman cut past a charging defender and struck powerfully towards the far post. On any other day it would have been a certain goal. But on this occasion, the Cameroonian shot-stopper dove to his left, and got a crucial hand to the shot, diverting it to the post and out of play.

The save was the high point of the game in which the Kolkata team had started brightly and then faded away into a defensive mind-set a few minutes into either half.

Taking advantage, Kerala made meaningful runs at the opposition defence, and often getting a shot on goal. Hume and Chopra had been working well together as a pair, with the former setting up passes from the midfield and the latter returning the favour first time, effectively stretching the defenders led by Josemi, the stand-in captain for benched marquee player Luis Garcia.

At the other end, marquee player and coach James was relatively untested. He did, however, have to make a smart save from a close range Arnal Llibert shot, which was the only meaningful attempt Kolkata notched up apart from Rafique’s finish.

The goal coming in the last minute of play instigated Uzbek referee Ravshan Irmatov to add a further single minute. By then Kolkata had instructed all their players to get back into the defensive role.

The final whistle was like the sound of liberation. From surviving the opponent’s resolute attack and two months of restless activity.