New York Giants secured a spectacular 21-17 win over New England Patriots to lift Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis.
The result was a repeat of four years ago, when the Giants denied the Pats' a perfect season with a 17-14 win in Super Bowl XLII.
This year's showpeice was an equally tight affair.
New England looked unsettled early on. After indecision from Tom Brady, the Giants took the lead with a two-point safety.
Eli Manning then found Victor Cruz with a perfect two-yard pass to make the opening touchdown. Scottish kicker Lawrence Tynes kicked the extra point and the Patriots trailed 9-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Stephen Gostkowski started the comeback with for a 29-yard field goal, before Brady redeemed himself with eight seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Following a 96-yard 14-play drive, The Pats' quarter back was afforded too much space. He found Danny Woodhead for a four-yard touchdown and a 10-9 half time lead.
Perhaps inspired by Madonna's Half Time Show performance, New England stormed out of the blocks at the start of the third quarter. Brady fed Aaron Hernandez on the seven-yard line and he powered past Deon Grant into the end zone to complete a rapid 79-yard drive.
Tynes replied with two field goals to reduce the Pats' lead to just two points at the end of the third quarter.
Nerves were on display from both sides during the final quarter, with the Giants only requiring a field goal to snatch victory.
They went one better. With 57 seconds left on the clock, Ahmad Bradshaw scored a touchdown, albeit it a reluctant one.
Bradshaw ran through the middle, the defence parted and he tried to stop himself on the one yard line to kill time, so that New England would have less time to respond.
However, his momentum carried him into the end zone and he scored an unintentional touchdown.
That meant the Pats had almost a full minute to hit back, but Brady was unable to muster one final telling play and the Giants won Super Bowl XLVI by a four-point margain.
The win was the Giants fourth Super Bowl triumph.
Robert Summerscales
