Kolkata, Oct 8: Mohun Bagan Super Giant retained the IFA Shield on Thursday night, edging arch-rivals East Bengal 1-0 in a fiercely contested Kolkata derby final at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan.
Bosnian midfielder Samir Zeljkovic scored the only goal of the match in the 45th minute, controlling Sahal Abdul Samad’s chipped pass on his chest before calmly slotting the ball past the East Bengal goalkeeper just before the interval.
A derby of fine margins
It was far from a fluent spectacle, but the goal proved decisive. East Bengal pushed hard for an equaliser after the break — Lukas Zwolinski’s 67th-minute header was brilliantly kept out by Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Vishal Kaith, and the striker headed wide again in the 88th minute. Despite seven minutes of added time and a late flurry of corners, the Mariners’ defence held firm to see out the win.
The victory gives Mohun Bagan their 22nd IFA Shield crown and, significantly, their first season double of the Calcutta Football League and the IFA Shield since 1976, when the late P.K. Banerjee was coach.
Revenge denied
For East Bengal, coached by Antonio Habas, the defeat denied them sweet revenge for the 4-1 humbling they had inflicted on Mohun Bagan in the Durand Cup final earlier this season. The Red-and-Gold brigade had stormed into the final with a 7-2 demolition of NorthEast United in the semis, including a David Lalhlansanga hat-trick, but never reproduced that fluency against their city rivals.
Mohun Bagan, the defending champions after their 2025 triumph, had reached the final by beating Punjab FC on penalties, with Kaith saving two spot-kicks in a 4-3 shootout.
East Bengal remain the most successful side in the competition’s history with 29 titles, but this was the Mariners’ night — the fifth Kolkata derby of the year and, so far, its most consequential.
Sources:
NDTV Sports (PTI): Samir Zeljkovic Strike Helps Mohun Bagan Claim 22nd IFA Shield Title
NDTV Profit: Mohun Bagan Crowned IFA Shield Champions After 1-0 Win Over East Bengal
Bosnian midfielder Samir Zeljkovic scored the only goal of the match in the 45th minute, controlling Sahal Abdul Samad’s chipped pass on his chest before calmly slotting the ball past the East Bengal goalkeeper just before the interval.
A derby of fine margins
It was far from a fluent spectacle, but the goal proved decisive. East Bengal pushed hard for an equaliser after the break — Lukas Zwolinski’s 67th-minute header was brilliantly kept out by Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Vishal Kaith, and the striker headed wide again in the 88th minute. Despite seven minutes of added time and a late flurry of corners, the Mariners’ defence held firm to see out the win.
The victory gives Mohun Bagan their 22nd IFA Shield crown and, significantly, their first season double of the Calcutta Football League and the IFA Shield since 1976, when the late P.K. Banerjee was coach.
Revenge denied
For East Bengal, coached by Antonio Habas, the defeat denied them sweet revenge for the 4-1 humbling they had inflicted on Mohun Bagan in the Durand Cup final earlier this season. The Red-and-Gold brigade had stormed into the final with a 7-2 demolition of NorthEast United in the semis, including a David Lalhlansanga hat-trick, but never reproduced that fluency against their city rivals.
Mohun Bagan, the defending champions after their 2025 triumph, had reached the final by beating Punjab FC on penalties, with Kaith saving two spot-kicks in a 4-3 shootout.
East Bengal remain the most successful side in the competition’s history with 29 titles, but this was the Mariners’ night — the fifth Kolkata derby of the year and, so far, its most consequential.
Sources:
NDTV Sports (PTI): Samir Zeljkovic Strike Helps Mohun Bagan Claim 22nd IFA Shield Title
NDTV Profit: Mohun Bagan Crowned IFA Shield Champions After 1-0 Win Over East Bengal
