Samir Zeljkovic Sinks East Bengal, Mohun Bagan Retain IFA Shield | Football News

Last Updated:October 08, 2026, 22:13 IST

Zeljkovic’s winner helped Mohun Bagan defeat East Bengal 1-0, retain the IFA Shield and complete a rare CFL-IFA Shield double.

Samir Zeljkovic scored the winner for Mohun Bagan (Picture credit: X @mohunbagansg)

Star Bosnian midfielder Samir Zeljkovic’s solitary strike helped Mohun Bagan Super Giant retain the IFA Shield with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over arch-rivals East Bengal in a fiercely contested Kolkata Derby at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Thursday.

Zeljkovic scored the decisive goal in the 45th minute, finding the net just before half-time to bag the Mariners’ 22nd IFA Shield title.

This is Mohun Bagan’s 22nd IFA Shield title and their first Calcutta Football League-IFA Shield double in almost five decades.

Last time Mohun Bagan achieved the feat, late PK Banerjee was the coach in the year 1976.

It was far from a fluent performance from either team, but Mohun Bagan looked more assured than they did in the Durand Cup final earlier this season, when East Bengal handed their city rivals a 4-1 loss.

Zeljkovic broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time, controlling Sahal Abdul Samad’s chipped pass on his chest before slotting the ball past the East Bengal goalkeeper.

The goal gave Mohun Bagan a crucial advantage in a tightly contested second half, with East Bengal pushing for an equaliser but unable to breach the Mariners’ defence.

East Bengal and head coach Antonio Habas will be disappointed with the result, with the Indian Super League season all set to start in two days. The Red-and-Gold brigade had impressed on their way to the final but struggled to reproduce the same attacking fluency against their arch-rivals.

East Bengal had stormed into the final with a 7-2 rout of NorthEast United FC in the semi-final, with David Lalhlansanga scoring a hat-trick.

Mohun Bagan, in contrast, had a more difficult route to the final, edging past Punjab FC on penalties in the semi-final. The match ended goalless after 120 minutes before the Mariners prevailed 4-3 in the shootout, with goalkeeper Vishal Kaith playing a key role.

(With PTI Inputs)

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Who scored the winning goal for Mohun Bagan in the IFA Shield final against East Bengal?

Bosnian midfielder Samir Zeljkovic scored the decisive goal in the 45th minute, securing a 1-0 victory for Mohun Bagan.

How many IFA Shield titles have Mohun Bagan won after their victory over East Bengal?

This victory marked Mohun Bagan’s 22nd IFA Shield title in the club’s history.

When was the last time Mohun Bagan achieved a Calcutta Football League and IFA Shield double?

Mohun Bagan secured their first Calcutta Football League-IFA Shield double in almost five decades, with the late PK Banerjee last coaching them to the feat in 1976.

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