Kolkata, Sep 30 (IANS) A spectacular first-half strike from new Brazilian signing Diego Raposo was enough for Punjab FC to edge Indian Super League winner East Bengal FC 1-0 and secure the top spot in Group II of the IFA Shield 2026-27 at the East Bengal Ground in Kolkata on Wednesday.
With back-to-back victories in their inaugural IFA Shield campaign, the Shers march into the semifinals, where they will face NorthEast United FC on October 2. For his match-winning goal, Raposo was adjudged the Player of the Match.
The final game of Group II began as a scrappy, end-to-end affair with numerous aerial duels. East Bengal applied early pressure, with Chris Ikonomidis attempting an audacious lob from distance in the 4th minute after spotting Arshdeep Singh off his line, but the effort sailed safely wide.
At the other end, East Bengal’s Diego Zivulic marshalled the defense well in the opening exchanges, closely marking Raphael Messi Bouli to prevent the in-form Cameroonian from finding space.
As the match approached the 20-minute mark, Punjab FC crafted their first clear double-opportunity against the run of play. Messi Bouli unleashed a sharp shot from inside the box that was saved by Phurba Lachenpa, and Bishu Sharma’s quick follow-up rippled the side netting.
East Bengal immediately responded a minute later (21′) when Ikonomidis delivered a dangerous cross from the left to Rohit Danu. Danu fought off Khaiminthang Lhungdim at the far post but sent his header over the bar, resulting in a heavy collision between the two players.
Following a hydration break at the half-hour mark, East Bengal settled into a heavy low block, but the Shers began to assert control. In the 40th minute, Alfred Planas Moya produced a brilliant darting run down the right flank, though his cross was gathered by Lachenpa.
However, Punjab FC’s relentless pressure finally broke the deadlock just a minute later (41’). Capitalising on a defensive lapse by East Bengal’s Lalchungnunga, Messi Bouli acted as the architect, delivering a precise cross into the danger area.
Diego Raposo latched onto the delivery, cushioning the ball immaculately with his first touch before unleashing an unstoppable right-footed thunderbolt from distance that left Lachenpa absolutely unmoved.
The first half ended with late drama (45+4′) when Punjab goalkeeper Arshdeep Singh was shown a yellow card for handling the ball just outside the edge of the penalty box.
Ikonomidis stepped up for the resulting free-kick, but his curling effort was blocked by the wall and drifted wide, ensuring Punjab FC took a 1-0 advantage into the break.
The Shers commenced the second half with strong attacking intent, as Messi Bouli immediately tested the waters with a distance strike. Dictating the opening quarter, Punjab FC were desperately unlucky not to double their lead early on when a thunderous strike was denied by the woodwork.
In the 59th minute, another golden opportunity went begging as Messi Bouli set up Moya, but the Spaniard missed a regulation finish that would have put the game to bed.
Looking for an equaliser, East Bengal introduced Vishnu PV in the 53rd minute to inject pace. Both coaches turned to their benches around the 64th minute, with Punjab bringing on Muhammed Suhail and Vishal Yadav, while East Bengal introduced Jeakson Singh and Bipin Singh.
The substitutions nearly paid off for the hosts in the 67th minute. Lalchungnunga switched the play to Bipin, who combined with Narender Gahlot and Vishnu. However, the Punjab FC defense remained remarkably compact, producing a brilliant, timely block to deny Vishnu’s final attempt.
In the final 15 minutes, Punjab FC launched a barrage of attacks on the counter. In the 87th minute, substitute Mohammed Sohel Khan intercepted Jeakson, dragging the ball up the right flank before squaring it to Moya in the centre. The Spaniard attempted a delicate scoop over Lachenpa, but the ball landed on the roof of the net.
The match witnessed intense action deep into stoppage time. In the 90th minute, Arshdeep produced a crucial diving punch to deny Bipin Singh’s left-footed curling free-kick. Two minutes later (92’), Punjab FC’s Nikhil Prabhu was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge, resulting in his dismissal.
Despite being reduced to ten men for the final minutes of added time, Arshdeep was called into action one last time in the 94th minute, making a fantastic save against a header from Bilal to see out the game. The clinical 1-0 victory firmly establishes Punjab FC as serious title contenders heading into the knockouts.
–IANS
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