However, they failed to make it past that stage with Border Security Force and Army XI progressing, joining ten other teams, all of which were seeded directly to the quarter-finals.
The first came off the bar from Amin Sayed Mousavi's shot that Singh headed in before East Bengal equalised through midfielder Chandan Das' goal.
Mahindra United were favorites going into the final owing to fact that they were joint-toppers of the table of the then ongoing National Football League that season, and also their wins in the Durand Cup coming against tougher sides.
In its preview of the match, The Hindu wrote, "A balanced side, which does not rely heavily on its two Nigerian strikers, Austin Okolo and Bala Usman, Mahindra has been served well by the winger, Jules Alberto, who has scored two goals, and Raman Vijayan."
About Churchill Brothers, they wrote, "... the presence of Ghana's Yusif Yakubu and Amin Sayed Mousavi of Iran, has turned out to be its strength, though the lack of support from the others should be causing concern to coach T. K.