Mohun Bagan Player Ratings: Zeljkovic, Sahal impress for Mariners in Kolkata Derby of IFA Shield 2026 Final

The Mariners grab the 22nd IFA Shield title after defeating the Torchbearers 1-0 in the final.

Mohun Bagan secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over East Bengal in the IFA Shield final at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata on Thursday, October 8, 2026.

The Mariners took the lead right on the stroke of half-time. Edmund gave the ball away to Samir Zeljkovic, who laid it off for Sahal Abdul Samad before bursting into the box. Sahal took his time and dinked the ball back over the East Bengal defence, and Zeljkovic made no mistake in finishing past Phurba Lachenpa.

It was a scrappy, ill-tempered Kolkata Derby at times, with challenges flying in from both sides and the referee forced to intervene on more than one occasion.

East Bengal had the better of the opening exchanges, but Mohun Bagan grew into the game and defended their lead with numbers as the Red and Gold Brigade pushed for an equaliser.

Mohun Bagan player ratings vs East Bengal

Vishal Kaith: 8.5/10

Kaith’s captaincy shone through, leading by example on the night. His most important contribution came inside six minutes, when Edmund was played through one-on-one, and everyone in the stadium expected an offside flag. It never came, and Kaith stepped out of his line to make himself big and deny the East Bengal forward.

He was alert throughout, gathering Bipin’s curled effort comfortably at his near post and getting down well to his right to keep out Zwolinski’s header in the second half. A clean sheet in a derby final is worth its weight in gold.

Rahul Bheke: 7.5/10

Bheke took a knock to the face early in the match but shook it off and continued without any trouble. He produced the defensive moment of the first half, tracking back at full speed to block Bipin’s early cross, with Ramirez waiting in the box.

Solid and unspectacular, exactly what a derby final demands from a seasoned defender.

Mehtab Singh 6.5/10

Mehtab will be disappointed with his night in front of goal. Abhishek Tekcham picked him out completely unmarked at the far post in the 23rd minute, and he should have done far better than heading over the frame of the goal. That was Mohun Bagan’s best chance of the first half.

He tried to atone minutes later with a ball over the top for the East Bengal box, but it ran straight through to Lachenpa. Fresh off international duty, the sharpness was not quite there.

Alberto Rodriguez 7/10

Rodriguez made an important early clearance as East Bengal turned up the tempo, and he was a reliable presence at the back for much of the night. However, he spent the closing half-hour in a running battle with Loba, with the pair going at each other twice and the referee having to step in.

He picked up a deserved yellow card in the 82nd minute for a late challenge on the same player. Combative, occasionally over the line, but he defended his box when it mattered.

Also Read: East Bengal 0-1 Mohun Bagan: Key takeaways from Kolkata Derby in IFA Shield 2026 Final

Abhishek Tekcham 7.5/10

One of the better performers on the night for the Mariners. He won a clean sliding challenge on Bipin that had the East Bengal winger appealing for a foul, then delivered a beautiful cross to set up Mehtab’s header.

He also whipped in a hopeful ball from the left that Lachenpa had to come off his line to claim. Busy and effective on both ends of the flank.

Samir Zeljkovic 9/10

The match-winner and the best player on the pitch. Zeljkovic started the move with his own goal, laying the ball off to Sahal and bursting into the box to receive the return dink before finishing past Lachenpa. It was lovely movement from the Mariners, and he was at the heart of it.

He had earlier won the ball off Rashid to spark the Chhangte chance, and was played through again by Erwin in the 62nd minute, but took too heavy a touch in a tight area. He even took a Rashid free kick square in the wall in the 83rd minute and got straight back up. Man of the match.

Sahal Abdul Samad 8/10

The assist for the goal was the highlight of his night, a measured dink over the East Bengal defence after a slick give-and-go with Zeljkovic. Sahal had earlier forced a fine save from Lachenpa with a half-volley from outside the box and dragged another effort wide from range.

He chose to square the ball for Erwin in the 43rd minute when a shot looked on, and it was flagged offside after starting a run too early. Withdrawn in the 66th minute after a strong outing.

Deepak Tangri 6.5/10

An unglamorous night in the engine room for Tangri. The midfield was a scrap for long stretches, with challenges flying in from both sides, and he did his share of the dirty work without ever really imposing himself on the ball.

He kept things simple and did not give much away, but this was not a night for midfielders to shine.

Dejan Drazic 6.5/10

Drazic’s night ended in a clash of heads with Mandi in the 55th minute that sparked a scuffle in the middle of the pitch and a booking for the East Bengal man. Both players needed treatment, and the match was paused for a spell.

Before that, he was part of a Mohun Bagan attack that struggled to find space in behind East Bengal’s high line.

Lallianzuala Chhangte 6/10

A frustrating evening for Chhangte. He forced a sharp save from Lachenpa with a fierce effort from outside the box in the 36th minute, but he was booked for simulation in the 20th minute after going down, claiming a foul on the edge of the area- a needless risk in a final.

He then gave the ball away to spark the counter that ended with Kaith denying Edmund, and blazed over from inside the box seconds after the restart. Substituted in the 70th minute.

Lee Erwin 6.5/10

Erwin worked hard without reward. He went on a driving run and shot from distance in the 15th minute that lacked power and accuracy, put in a cross that Lachenpa claimed, and played Sahal through only for the flag to go up.

He did well to set up Zeljkovic in the 62nd minute with a pass into the box. Made way in the 70th minute.

Substitutes

Liston Colaco 6.5/10

Liston came on for Erwin in the 70th minute and immediately made himself a target, drawing a hard challenge from Jeakson that earned the East Bengal midfielder a booking. He took the resulting set piece and kept it on target, forcing Lachenpa into a save.

He tried to carry the ball single-handedly in the closing stages and ended up running into a lot of bodies. A lively cameo.

Manvir Singh 6/10

Manvir replaced Sahal in the 66th minute. He tried to nick the ball cheekily from a drop-ball situation late on, which the referee promptly called back and awarded to East Bengal.

He did his defensive share as East Bengal threw long balls forward in the closing stages.

Anirudh Thapa N/A

Thapa was introduced alongside Liston in the 70th minute as Mohun Bagan shut up shop. He sat in front of the back line as East Bengal’s possession spells grew and helped contain the danger without any standout moments.

The win gives Mohun Bagan its 22nd IFA Shield title and a measure of revenge for the 4-1 Durand Cup final defeat to East Bengal earlier this season.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.