East Bengal put four past Mohun Bagan in August, and Zeljkovic’s goal has kept the IFA Shield with the Mariners
Samir Zeljkovic scored just before half-time as Mohun Bagan beat East Bengal 1-0 in the IFA Shield final, completing a Calcutta league and Shield double.
Oct 9, 2026
In August, East Bengal put four past Mohun Bagan in the Durand Cup final. On Thursday night at the Salt Lake Stadium, Bagan took something back. Samir Zeljkovic scored just before half-time, and they held on to beat their rivals 1-0 and keep the IFA Shield. It is their 22nd.
It completes a local double as well. Bagan won the Calcutta Football League in September, and it is the first time in nearly five decades that they have won the league and the Shield in the same season. PK Banerjee was their coach the last time it happened.
How the goal came
Sahal Abdul Samad chipped a pass into the box, and Zeljkovic, a Bosnian midfielder, took it on his chest and slid it past Phurba Lachenpa as the East Bengal goalkeeper came out to meet him.
Both keepers had been busy before that. Vishal Kaith came off his line to deny Edmund Lalrindika early on, which mattered, given Lalrindika scored a hat-trick in the Durand final. At the other end Lachenpa made two saves in quick succession, the second from Sahal, before Zeljkovic finally beat him.
East Bengal had the ball and little else
East Bengal saw plenty of the ball after the break and did very little with it. They threw on more attackers and pushed hard through added time, but Bagan’s back line never really broke. For a side that had scored seven in its semi-final, it was a flat night.
Bagan had the harder road to the final. They drew 1-1 with NorthEast United in the group and then needed penalties against Punjab FC in the semi-final, winning the shootout 4-3 after 120 goalless minutes. East Bengal beat NorthEast 7-2 in theirs, with David Lalhlansanga scoring three.
The Shield stays where it was. Bagan beat East Bengal in last year’s final too, 5-4 on penalties, to end a 22-year wait for the trophy.
Straight into the ISL
Neither side gets long to think about it. The new ISL season starts on Saturday, and Bagan open away to NorthEast United on Monday, 12 October. East Bengal, who start a week late, play Churchill Brothers on 18 October.