Quarterback Eli Manning was named MVP as the New York Giants won the Super Bowl 21-17 over the New England Patriots on Sunday.
A late touchdown from Ahmad Bradshaw and the last three scores of the match helped the Giants seal one of the most memorable Super Bowl victories in recent years after trailing 17-9 in the third quarter.
It was the second time the Giants have narrowly edged the Patriots in the NFL's showpiece match after their 17-14 victory in the 2008 Super Bowl.
It was a game of fine margins and the Patriots did have one final chance to win the match.
Quarterback Tom Brady's hail mary pass seemed intended for Aaron Hernandez but took a deflection, with the ailing Rob Gronkowski falling agonisingly short as he attempted a diving catch.
MVP Manning threw 30 of 40 for 296 yards and one touchdown, while wide receiver Mario Manningham made several key catches for the Giants, including an impressive take on the sideline in the last quarter under pressure from two Patriots defenders.
For Manning and coach Tom Coughlin it was a second positive Super Bowl result in a contest few could split before the match.
The Patriots got off to a horror start when Brady was flagged for an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone.
Brady was corralled and with little option, threw the ball down field into space as a rusher barrelled him over.
The Patriots looked rattled and that safety gave New York a 2-0 lead, but New England went on to lead for much of the second half.
As the match reached an intense conclusion during the fourth quarter, Bradshaw's late rushing touchdown after Manningham's grab proved to be the decisive score.
Brady converted on a 4th and 16 by escaping and finding Deion Branch in the flat. A subsequent penalty on New York for too many men on the field still was not enough and Brady was forced to throw the hail mary.
However Gronkowski could not grasp the deflection under heavy pressure as the Giants held on.
In the end, New York had the answers on clutch plays, Manningham took one of the greatest catches in recent Super Bowl history while Wes Welker was unable to make a similarly difficult one for New England that led to a late punt in the game.