ഐഎഫ്എ ഷീൽഡ് സെമിഫൈനലിൽ പഞ്ചാബ് എഫ്സിയെ പെനാൽറ്റി ഷൂട്ടൗട്ടിൽ 4-3ന് തോൽപ്പിച്ച് മോഹൻ ബഗാൻ സൂപ്പർ ജയന്റ് ഫൈനലിൽ കടന്നു. ഗോൾകീപ്പർ വിശാൽ കൈത്തിന്റെ നിർണായക സേവുകളും മിഗ്വൽ ഫെരേരയുടെ വിജയഗോളുമാണ് ബഗാന് തുണയായത്. ഈസ്റ്റ് ബംഗാൾ-നോർത്ത് ഈസ്റ്റ് യുണൈറ്റഡ് മത്സരത്തിലെ വിജയികളെ ഫൈനലിൽ ബഗാൻ നേരിടും.
Panagiotis Dilmperis was all smiles when he arrived at the stadium - walking out of Mohun Bagan Super Giant's team bus parked just beside that of his former club, Punjab FC. He greeted the players on his way to the dressing room, and by the time he was in the dugout, the smiles were gone.
Hundreds of fans had filled the stands on the right, wearing Bagan's green-and-maroon; the skyscrapers overlooking the Kishore Bharati Krirangan faded into darkness after sunset as floodlights highlighted the stage for the IFA Shield semifinal.
Vishal Kaith, Bagan's hero in the IFA Shield final last year, made two crucial saves while the club's summer signing Miguel Ferreira struck the winning penalty as the Mariners won the contest 4-3 on penalties to enter the final of the 2026 edition on Sunday.
Bagan will face the winner of East Bengal vs NorthEast United in the summit clash.
The host started the match aggressively and took just 10 minutes to make its first mark. Arshdeep Singh brought down Asish Rai just outside the penalty box, and the Bagan defender was forced to leave on shoulder support. Lee Erwin took the free-kick - a left-footed curler, aimed for the top-left corner, that flew over the wall. Arshdeep got a glove on it, and the ball came off the upright.
AS IT HAPPENED | MOHUN BAGAN SG VS PUNJAB FC HIGHLIGHTS
The game, however, fell into a lull after that chance, only to get fresh life closer to half-time. The Shers sparked into an attack with some brilliant combination play. Raphael Messi Bouli passed to Bishu Sharma, who rolled the ball to Alfred Moya with an innocuous backheel. But Moya's shot, lacking sufficient pace, saw Kaith hold on to the ball comfortably.
Bagan chose an immediate attack on the other end, with Samir Zeljkovic whipping in a cross from the left and Lallianzuala Chhangte shooting on the volley. But an alert Arshdeep refused to be beaten with a good save.
After the break, Dilmperis tried to bring on fresher legs in Miguel Ferreira instead of Liston Colaco, but it was Punjab that created a key chance after the hour mark: Bishu and Moya combining again, with the latter's shot ending on the top of the net.
Ferreira almost made an impact in the 85th minute, when his free-kick from the right was headed into the net by Subhasish Bose. However, the goal was ruled out as several of Bagan's players were seen offside when the ball was sent in.
But that was all - the lacklustre affair drudged into extra time, where Messi Bouli tested Kaith with a cross from the left -- which Kaith saved -- , and Ngarin Shaiza's resulting corner kick curled off-target. Suhail Ahmed Bhat tried to impress after coming on for Erwin, getting a pass from Dejan Drazic in the 104th minute, but his shot was blocked by Muheet Sagar.
Despite limited chances for both sides, the match had the look and feel of proper local football - people sitting hunched on concrete seats, cheering and cursing in Bengali depending on the referee's call, and journalists yawning in press boxes, yearning for end-to-end action.
Action finally arrived, but in the penalty shootout.
Messi Bouli and Arshvir Singh converted for the Shers before Kaith stopped the shots of Ngarin Shaiza and Vishal Yadav. Though Dejan Drazic then had his attempt saved, Miguel put the competition to bed with a calm finish from the spot.
Dilmperis, after nearly 180 minutes of on-and-off-the-field action, found his smile back. And so did the Bagan fans, with club flags, banners and chants in the City of Joy.