The contest began with East Bengal looking dangerous in attack. Edmund Lalrindika, who had scored a hat-trick against Mohun Bagan in the Durand Cup final, came close to opening the scoring, but goalkeeper Vishal Kaith produced an important save to keep the Mariners in the game. Mohun Bagan gradually found their rhythm and began creating chances of their own, with Mehtab Singh going close with a header.

The breakthrough arrived just before half-time. Sahal Abdul Samad delivered a clever chipped pass into the penalty area, where Zeljkovic controlled the ball with his chest before calmly finishing to give Mohun Bagan the lead. The goal gave the defending champions a crucial advantage heading into the break.

East Bengal pushed forward after the restart in search of an equaliser, increasing the pressure as the match entered its closing stages. Lukasz Zwolinski came close with a header but failed to find the target, while Kaith made another important save to deny the Polish forward. Mohun Bagan’s defence remained organised under pressure, with Dejan Drazic also putting in a determined performance to help protect the lead.

Despite East Bengal’s late attempts, the Mariners held firm through seven minutes of stoppage time to secure the victory. The result offered Mohun Bagan a measure of revenge after their 4-1 defeat to East Bengal in the Durand Cup final in August and ensured they retained the IFA Shield crown.

For Mohun Bagan, the triumph adds another chapter to their rich history in the competition. For East Bengal, the narrow defeat will be disappointing after their emphatic run to the final, but the rivalry between Indian football’s two historic Kolkata clubs continues to deliver high-stakes encounters and memorable moments.

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