Bhaichung Zindabad: East Bengal fans in Calcutta celebrate the club’s victory over BEC Tero Sasana

Soccer fans in Sikkim erupted in joyous celebration as the Tinkitam Express steamrollered the Thais in a classic payback final at the Asean championships yesterday.

Those who missed Bhaichung Bhutia’s deft drop of the shoulder that put the goalkeeper out of position giving him enough room to land the ball into the net with a left footer and script football history were left cursing their luck. They salvaged some pride today morning by sitting glued to the television sets to catch snatches of their hometown hero’s brilliance on the news channels.

The morning papers, delayed by the landslides on the national highway, arrived at midday. Fans, hungry for more on the East Bengal star, spent the time discussing the footballer who started out here. The recovery from injuries that had clouded his career some time ago, his master gameplan to put the Thais in place, the million-dollar smile he flashed while collecting the Golden Boot …it was all discussed. Everywhere. When the papers finally arrived, they sold like hotcakes.

Kunzang Bhutia, Bhaichung’s sister, was one of the thousands who had prayed all through the match. “What an exciting match it was,” she said, barely able to contain her excitement. “He rang up today morning and told me he was planning to spend two months in Malaysia and play there.”

Bhaichung might leave for Malaysia, but that has not stopped the Sikkim Football Academy from putting up banners all over town to commemorate him and his team’s historic feat that “put India on the world football map”.

Bhaichung’s comeback, said Karma P. Bhutia, his mentor and manager, shows that he has overcome the injuries that plagued him for the last two years. “He is in top form. He has shown what he is capable of and regained his scoring skills. I watched the match. It was such a big occasion for Indian football,” he said, lauding the team’s spirit to give it’s all at the Saturday showdown.

Bhaichung has come a long way since his injury-forced exit from English second division league club Bury FC. But For old-timers, who fondly remember the young boy, born in nondescript Tinkitam in South Sikkim, who trained at the Sports Authority of India, Bhaichung’s role in leading East Bengal to an international win is his greatest feat, equalled only by the government’s recognition of his talent by conferring the Arjuna award.