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Minerva Punjab are I-League champions

They are the first team from Punjab to win the league since JCT won it in 1996-97

(File) Players of Chennai City FC (in orange) and Minerva Punjab FC in action during an I-League match at Nehru stadium in Coimbatore | PTI

Ghanaian striker William Opoku scored for Minerva Punjab in their final league game of the 2017-18 season to clinch the team's maiden top-division title.

In what was a tense season finale, with four teams in contention for winning the league on the final match day, table-toppers Minerva beat Churchill Brothers 1-0.

NEROCA FC and East Bengal played out a draw, while Mohun Bagan were held by Gokulam FC, both 1-1 scorelines.

The Chandigarh team, which finished ninth (out of ten teams) last season, finished with 35 points from their 18 matches in only their second season in the top flight.

They become the first team from Punjab to win the league since the JCT last won it in 1996-97. NEROCA finished second with 32 points, while Kolkata clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal were third and fourth with 30 points.

Asier Pierrick Dipanda of Cameroon finished top scorer of the league with his 12 goals for Mohun Bagan, including one on the final day. This is the second consecutive golden boot for Dipanda, who achieved the feat with Shillong Lajong last year.

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