Dordoi-Dynamo players pose with the AFC President's Cup in Lahore on Sunday. Photo by: AFC/Stanley Chou

LAHORE: Kyrgyzstan's Dordoi-Dynamo gave a power-packed performance to outclass Nepal's Mahendra Police Club 2-1 and retain the AFC President's Cup title here at the Punjab Stadium on Sunday.

Azamat Ishenbaev (8; penalty) and Roman Kornilov (74) were on target for the Central Asians while Jumanu Rai pulled one back from the spot for Mahendra Police Club in injury time. As spectacular fireworks lit up the night sky, Dordoi celebrated with gay abandon. They had every reason to, for they also walked away with two other major honours: goalkeeper Valerii Kashuba was named the Most Valuable Player and the team also given the Fair Play Trophy. Sri Lanka’s Ratnam Sports Club's Ediri Channa was the highest scorer of the event with six goals. Dordoi, who overcame Ratnam Sports Club on penalties in the semi-final, made sure that they didn't have to face any anxious moments in the final with their dominance throughout the game.

It was football of a very high class and the best crowd of the championship – with the main stands fully packed – savoured it.

A goal in each half may not reflect the true measure of Dordoi's stranglehold on the proceedings. Had it not been for Mahendra goalkeeper Ritesh Thapa’s valiant efforts Dordoi could have had four to six goals to their credit.

Though Mahendra pulled one goal back, owing to a rare lapse by the Dordoi defence through Talant Samsaliev's handball, with Jumanu Rai converting the resulting penalty, it came too late in the match – in injury time.

Such was Dordoi's total sway that other than the penalty Mahendra got only one other real shot at the goal when Arjun Rijal's attempt was acrobatically saved by custodian Valerii Kashuba in the 61st minute. Apart from that it was mostly one-way traffic. Starting the proceedings without their two ace strikers Roman Kornilov and Ildar Amirov, Dordoi coach Boris Podkorytov moved Azamat Ishenbaev to the right wing. This ploy paid rich dividends as he struck in the eighth minute, converting a penalty with a good drive to the right after he was brought down inside the circle.

Dordoi’s David Tetteh and captain Ruslan Sydykov got good opportunities minutes later but Thapa was vigilant under the bar.

Mahendra for their part seemed out of sorts, perhaps because their dangerous forwards Jumanu Rai and Ramesh Budhathoki were tightly marked. Mahendra had so far depended on these two rather heavily, and with their freedom checked effectively, the going up-front was tough for the Nepalese.

Once Dordoi got the lead, the game stayed in the midfield for a while, affording Mahendra some easy access to the former's danger zone. But that didn't dent Dordoi's superiority as their defence, particularly Igor Kudrenko, was always there to prevent the Nepalese advances.

The first half ended at 1-0, and the second was more or less a replica of the first, with Roman Kornilov making his appearance on the field in the 55th minute, having a couple of attempts and finally adding to his four goals against Tatung in the last league game with a superb header in the right corner in the 74th minute to make it 2-0. Mahendra got a consolation goal, but by then it was all over bar the shouting. Dordoi-Dynamo were richer by US$50,000 while runners-up Mahendra Police Club got a cash award of US$25,000. Dordoi coach Boris Podkorytov was surprised to see the fighting spirit of Mahendra Police Club. He said: “I am glad that my team retained the title but I must congratulate Mahendra for giving tough time to us.” "The teams in this event have made good progress. I would like them to go further because this event has now become a benchmark for AFC’s emerging countries." "I must give credit to Mahendra players because their marking and defence was too strong to penetrate into otherwise we could have scored more goals.” “I told my players to forget the 3-0 victory we recorded over Mahendra in the group stage and concentrate on the final. I am happy that my players delivered again in the crucial tie.” Mahendra Police Club coach Birat Krishna Shrestha blamed injuries to key players for the loss. "They were more strong physically and kept control of the game throughout," he said.

"My players also lacked the temperament required to beat the former champions. The only period my player came into the game was the last 15 minutes and that was when they got the goal,” he added.