Playing on a slushy Cooperage ground, the defending champions pumped up their adrenalin levels after defender Ajay Acharya marched to the dressing room with a double booking in the 54th minute.

The outcome avenged a 0-1 first-leg defeat as the airmen, a man short, struck with late goals by substitute striker Abbas Ali Rizvi and star mid-fielder Godrey Pereira who scored a solo with only seconds remaining.

Union Bank of India (UBI) beat Central Bank of India 3-2 (half-time 2-1) in a match played earlier, the taut scoreline belying the prodigal winners' domination.

Air-India coach Bimal Ghosh seemed to say in jest that playing with 10 men suited his side who relished the extra space. Whatever the reasons, Air-India cramped and stifled by a doughty RCF found their pace and rhythm after the expulsion.

Air-India'sironical seize of control stemmed from an untoward happening. Acharya's burst of indiscretion that floored RCF's Govindan Sajju brooked a second yellow from referee Bosco Pereira after the defender had earned similar retribution in the first half with a tackle on Douglas D'Sena.

They took over as RCF appeared to slip into a defensive gear but were made to wait until as late as the 78th minute to forge ahead.

A corner taken by Khambiton Singh had striker Anthony Fernandes heading goalwards only for the ball to fall nicely after striking defender Hassan Fowad. Rizvi, stretching forward, dispatched the ball home with his left foot to spark Air-India celebrations.

Air-India who now have 22 points from 12 matches ended with a flourish through their star Godfrey -- once again reminding he's still fit and dangerous. Latching on to a long clearance, the nippy mid-fielder dismissed often as overweight, proved a handful for three defenders as a slippery run ended with a shot past Patil who got a slighttouch.

Seven yellows and a red shown in the match included Air-India's defender Subir Sinha, striker Nitin Shetty besides Acharya who collected yellow cards while RCF's goalkeeper Suhas Patil (time wasting), defender Richard Noronha and striker Sajju were booked.

UBI DOWN CBI:

UBI scored through Vijay Thapa (27th minute), Supret Jathanna (29th) and Ryan D'Souza (52nd) while CBI found the net through Mohd Khan and Caitano Fernandes (82nd).

Both sides remain in the bottom half of the table with UBI eking out 15 points from 11 matches and CBI 12 from 15.