<p>Bengaluru: Kickstart Football Club suffered the cruellest of heartbreaks, conceeding an equaliser right at the death against <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/bengaluru-fc">Bengaluru FC</a> that resulted in FC Agniputhra emerging BDFA Urbanrise Super Division League champions on a cracking final day of action here on Thursday.</p>.<p>With Agniputhra having beaten ASC & Centre 3-0 earlier in the day to rise to the top of the table with 42 points from 17 games, Kickstart, starting their final league encounter three points behind, needed nothing less than a win at the Bangalore Football Stadium to claim the George Hoover Cup by virtue of better head to head record. </p>.<p>Backed by flag-waving kids from their academy as well as several passionate fans, Kickstart looked well on course to scaling the top of the podium after Saikhom Borish Singh’s deflected goal in the 78th minute gave them a 2-1 lead in a free-flowing clash.</p>.<p>Such was the celebration when Saikhom’s shot from the right ricocheted off BFC keeper Shuhaid Koya Thangal’s legs into the net, the striker ripped off his shirt and posed like Cristiano Ronaldo while the bench went berserk. </p>.<p>A one-goal lead, especially in a crunch game, is hardly a guarantee for success and Kickstart experienced the brutality of it deep into stoppage time (90+7).</p>.<p>Having missed a couple of clear-cut chances to put the game to bed, Kickstart were made to pay for it dearly when Felixson Conny Fernandes equalised for the never-say-die BFC, sparking off wild celebrations. </p>.<p>Kickstart couldn’t believe what had happened while Agniputhra, sitting in the opposite corner of the stadium, danced in elation.</p>.Premier League preview | Arsenal hoping for Man City favour in title race as Pep welcomes Slot to Etihad.<p>Formed in 2022, this is Agniputhra’s third title following back-to-back Puttaiah Memorial Trophy -- a knockout tournament for Super Division teams -- triumphs. </p>.<p><strong>Results: </strong></p><p>FC Agniputhra: 3 (Azfar Noorani 31st, Aasif Moideen PV 34th, Nithin Paul 56th) bt ASC & Centre FC: 0</p><p>BFC: 2 (Taorem Kelvin Singh 72nd, Felixson Conny Fernandes 90+7) drew with Kickstart FC: 2 (Vijay T 25th, Saikhom Borish Singh 78th).</p>.<p><strong>Individual awards: </strong></p><p>Best goalkeeper: Prashobh P (MEG & Centre FC)</p><p>Best defender: Ahmed Faiz Khan (FC Agniputhra)</p><p>Best midfielder: Soham Varshneya (BFC)</p><p>Player of the Tournament: Abhishekh Shankar Powar (Kickstart FC)</p><p>Top scorer: Abhishekh Shankar Powar (Kickstart FC).</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Kickstart Football Club suffered the cruellest of heartbreaks, conceeding an equaliser right at the death against <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/bengaluru-fc">Bengaluru FC</a> that resulted in FC Agniputhra emerging BDFA Urbanrise Super Division League champions on a cracking final day of action here on Thursday.</p>.<p>With Agniputhra having beaten ASC & Centre 3-0 earlier in the day to rise to the top of the table with 42 points from 17 games, Kickstart, starting their final league encounter three points behind, needed nothing less than a win at the Bangalore Football Stadium to claim the George Hoover Cup by virtue of better head to head record. </p>.<p>Backed by flag-waving kids from their academy as well as several passionate fans, Kickstart looked well on course to scaling the top of the podium after Saikhom Borish Singh’s deflected goal in the 78th minute gave them a 2-1 lead in a free-flowing clash.</p>.<p>Such was the celebration when Saikhom’s shot from the right ricocheted off BFC keeper Shuhaid Koya Thangal’s legs into the net, the striker ripped off his shirt and posed like Cristiano Ronaldo while the bench went berserk. </p>.<p>A one-goal lead, especially in a crunch game, is hardly a guarantee for success and Kickstart experienced the brutality of it deep into stoppage time (90+7).</p>.<p>Having missed a couple of clear-cut chances to put the game to bed, Kickstart were made to pay for it dearly when Felixson Conny Fernandes equalised for the never-say-die BFC, sparking off wild celebrations. </p>.<p>Kickstart couldn’t believe what had happened while Agniputhra, sitting in the opposite corner of the stadium, danced in elation.</p>.Premier League preview | Arsenal hoping for Man City favour in title race as Pep welcomes Slot to Etihad.<p>Formed in 2022, this is Agniputhra’s third title following back-to-back Puttaiah Memorial Trophy -- a knockout tournament for Super Division teams -- triumphs. </p>.<p><strong>Results: </strong></p><p>FC Agniputhra: 3 (Azfar Noorani 31st, Aasif Moideen PV 34th, Nithin Paul 56th) bt ASC & Centre FC: 0</p><p>BFC: 2 (Taorem Kelvin Singh 72nd, Felixson Conny Fernandes 90+7) drew with Kickstart FC: 2 (Vijay T 25th, Saikhom Borish Singh 78th).</p>.<p><strong>Individual awards: </strong></p><p>Best goalkeeper: Prashobh P (MEG & Centre FC)</p><p>Best defender: Ahmed Faiz Khan (FC Agniputhra)</p><p>Best midfielder: Soham Varshneya (BFC)</p><p>Player of the Tournament: Abhishekh Shankar Powar (Kickstart FC)</p><p>Top scorer: Abhishekh Shankar Powar (Kickstart FC).</p>