Air Force Club soared high in the desert landscape of Doha to win the AFC Cup, beating Bengaluru FC 1-0 at the Qatar Sports City Stadium on Saturday.
A physically dominant Air Force, who became the first Iraqi club to win this tournament, played the entire game at their pace and enjoyed the more clear-cut chances. They sealed their win when the striker Hammadi Ahmed Abdullah tapped home from close range in the 70th minute.
Bengaluru toiled hard for an equaliser in the dying minutes, but could not find a way past a resolute Air Force defence and had to settle for being the first Indian club to make the final.
Coach Albert Roca, in each of his four matches in charge of Bengaluru, had tweaked his tactics according to the quality of the opposition. On the eve of the final, he had spoken of the importance of neutralising Air Force's physical advantage, and ensuring that his team "played football" no matter what.
Much as he had anticipated, Air Force made the most of their aerial strength. Bengaluru tried to keep the battle on the ground, but Air Force were keen on aerial duels. Armed with a 3-4-3, the Iraq club had the man advantage in the centre and, with a tall target in Hammadi up front, they also had the height to win the 60-40s, as well as hold up the play.
Humamt and M. Zahir orchestrated the game from midfield, but a tactically disciplined Bengaluru held their own in the first half, keeping chances for Air Force to a minimum, and often, from distance.
With niggling fouls aplenty and neither team willing to commit too many men forward, Amjed Radhi was the first to test the waters, sending a 40-yard free kick wide of Lalthuammawia Ralte's goal.
Juan Antonio and John Johnson had everything covered in the heart of defence, and with Cameron Watson providing an additional layer of protection from midfield, Bengaluru's door was firmly shut.
At the other end, Sunil Chhetri and CK Vineeth pressed from the front and ran defenders down, but they had very little of the ball themselves, as Watson and Alvaro Rubio struggled to impose themselves at the middle.
Instead, Bengaluru's best outlet came from the right flank, with right-back Rino Anto and Alwyn George delivering dangerous crosses into the box.
Anto's delivery, in the 13th minute, was just over the head of Chhetri. George's, in the 29th, was more inviting, put into the red-zone with pace and bend, but an onrushing Eugeneson Lyngdoh failed to make clear connection.
Midway through the first half, Air Force were dealt a big blow when Humamt, the creative spark in their team, had to be replaced by Osama Ali. However, their game-plan remained intact, and Air Force continued to hoof forward to Hammadi and Amjed Radhi, though they found little to no reward.
Neither team were convincing, but Bengaluru would have been the happier of the two going into the break, their goal intact, and having dealt with all kinds of aerial bombardment.
As the second half began Bengaluru kept their shape intact but Air Force adjusted theirs, abandoning their long-ball game for more ground passes.
Their new plan immediately found chinks in Bengaluru's armour, as Radhi and Hammadi both spurned golden chances in the opening few minutes.
First, Radhi collected a low cross and took out two defenders on the turn, but his shot was blasted high when the entire goal was gaping. Radhi ran back with his hands on his head, but Air Force were buoyed. For the first time, Bengaluru looked rattled.
Air Force went forward again, and Hammad contrived to make a mess of a cut back from the right, but he did not have to wait long to make amends.
In the 70th minute, the ball broke kindly to Radhi on the left, with a sizeable hole left in Bengaluru's backline. Radhi had the chance to take a shot, but instead, he twisted past two players, took the ball to the byline, and squared to Hammadi at the centre, who could not miss from five yards.
Antonio and Johnson, having mopped up every cross hurled their way in the preceding 69 minutes, failed to pick up Hammadi's inside run, and in a second, the entire complexion of the game had changed.
With the luxury of a goal came more open spaces for Air Force to attack. With Bengaluru having no choice but to throw men forward, they were always susceptible at the back to concede a counter-punching, match-sealing second goal.
With the clock running down, Bengaluru rolled the dice and opted to take the route they had been defending against all match.
Watson and Johnson pumped ball after long ball into the Air Force box, but Bengaluru had neither the strength nor the energy left to make anything of them.
Deep into stoppage time, Watson floated one last free kick from distance into the area. Vineeth was found with time and space, but his attempted volley failed to catch any leather, and the ball rolled out for a goal-kick.
Vineeth collapsed in despair, and a few seconds later, all his teammates joined him.
Bengaluru had done themselves proud through this journey but on the biggest stage, they were beaten by a superior team.