Maybe these were the reasons why celebrations were a little guarded after the match. There were firecrackers, paper-boats and loud cheers. But deep inside, even the ardent Bagan fans might have felt that George were the better team today.

So, they gradually turned the heat on East Bengal who would face Bagan on Friday. A draw that day will make the champions tag official and plans are already afoot for a bigger celebration.

All the while, Kolkata Police stood as a spectator and seemed to be enjoying the show. Fans thronged into the ground after the match and the players’ safety was at stake. By Fifa parlance, this is a serious offence. Here, the DC Ist Battalion Biswarup Ghosh, who was in charge, stunned everybody with his comments. “I don’t know how this has happened. Maybe they have gate-crashed into the ground.”