Author: Rahul Giri

-Rahul Giri in Goa As the stage is set for another high-voltage Kolkata derby, this time far from home at Goa’s Fatorda Stadium, Mohun Bagan’s defensive stalwart Tom Aldred has his eyes fixed on one goal: victory. The Mariners find themselves in a must-win situation after being held to a goalless draw by Dempo SC in their second group-stage game of the 2025–26 AIFF Super Cup. Having started their campaign with a comfortable 2–0 win over Chennaiyin FC, Mohun Bagan’s unexpected stumble against the spirited I-League side has left them needing all three points against East Bengal to qualify for…

Rahul Giri in Goa East Bengal opened their account in the AIFF Super Cup 2025 in emphatic fashion, cruising past Chennaiyin FC 4–0 in a one-sided Group A encounter. Hiroshi Ibusuki opened his account for the Red-and-Golds, helping the team keep their hopes alive for a place in the knockout stage with the much-anticipated Kolkata derby up next. For much of the first half, the contest appeared lifeless, with neither side able to find rhythm or purpose. But the momentum swung dramatically in the space of 11 minutes as East Bengal produced a burst of attacking brilliance. A well-delivered Mahesh…

Rising Indian defender Bijay Chhetri has returned to Indian football after an eventful nine-month stint in Uruguay, where he became the first Indian footballer to sign a professional contract with a Latin American club, joining Colón FC on loan from Chennaiyin FC. The 22-year-old from Manipur, who began his football journey with Shillong Lajong before featuring for Indian Arrows, Chennai City, Real Kashmir, and Sreenidi Deccan, made his Mumbai City FC debut last night in the Super Cup 2025. Mumbai kicked off their campaign in style, thrashing Sporting Club Delhi 4–1 in Goa. Bijay came off the bench in the…

Rahul Giri in Goa East Bengal began their Super Cup 2025 campaign in Goa on a disappointing note, being held to a 2-2 draw by local club Dempo SC in a Group A clash at the Bambolim Stadium. Later in the evening, Mohun Bagan registered a comfortable win over Chennaiyin FC in a rain-soaked encounter at the Fatorda Stadium. Despite fielding all six of their foreign players, East Bengal failed to overcome a spirited Dempo side that played with an all-Indian squad. Dempo were late entrants in the competition, replacing Real Kashmir FC, who withdrew due to internal issues. There…

FC Goa’s spirited fight was not enough to overcome Saudi giants Al-Nassr, who clinched a 2–1 victory in their AFC Champions League 2 group-stage clash on Tuesday night. Despite the defeat, the evening belonged to local hero Brison Fernandes, who etched his name in history by becoming the first Indian player to score in the newly revamped AFC Champions League 2. Al-Nassr, even without star forward Cristiano Ronaldo, showcased their quality early on. Brazilian youngster Angelo Gabriel opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a powerful right-footed strike that Sandesh Jhingan couldn’t block, setting the tone for the visitors.…

On a night soaked in emotion, history, and sheer drama, Mohun Bagan Super Giant clinched their 21st IFA Shield title, defeating arch-rivals East Bengal in a pulsating final that stretched beyond two hours before being decided via a penalty shootout at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Saturday. It was Mehtab Singh, the former East Bengal defender who honed his career in Kolkata, who calmly slotted home the decisive penalty. His composed finish sent East Bengal goalkeeper Debjit Majumder the wrong way, igniting wild celebrations across the Green-and-Maroon stands. The triumph marked Mohun Bagan’s first IFA Shield win in 22 years,…

Rahul Giri Mohun Bagan Super Giant held their nerve in a thrilling IFA Shield final on Saturday night, defeating arch-rivals East Bengal FC 5-4 in a penalty shootout after 120 minutes of action-packed football ended 1-1. This was the Green and Maroon brigade’s 21st IFA Shield win, providing a much-needed boost to the fans amidst recent unrests. Action-Packed First Half Sets the Tone The contest at Yuva Bharati Stadium began at a furious pace. Mohun Bagan created opportunities in the seventh and 24th minute. A promising sequence saw Sahal Abdul Samad capitalise on a loose ball from Anwar…

It’s rare to see a coach of either Kolkata giant urging fans to fill the stands, but this time, Mohun Bagan head coach Jose Molina did exactly that ahead of the much-anticipated derby. At the pre-match press conference, Molina appealed to the supporters, saying, “It doesn’t matter what you (fans) have done in the last games, or what you will do in the future, but at least on Saturday, come to the stadium and back the team.” In the last two IFA Shield matches, the Spaniard witnessed fans protesting against the management, still seeking answers for the club’s decision not…

The All India Football Federation has invited bids for the commercial rights of Indian football, setting a base annual fee of Rs 37.5 crore or 5% of total revenue — whichever is higher. FSDL, the previous rights holder, used to give Rs 50 crore per year. The agreement, to be valid for 15 years, will cover the federation’s top-tier league, which will feature 12 to 14 teams. The bidding process was officially announced on Thursday, a day after the Supreme Court’s deadline to complete the process. The AIFF’s move comes amid growing interest from stakeholders and questions from several ISL…

The 10 Indian Super League clubs have jointly expressed serious concern over the delay in the All India Football Federation’s tender process for appointing a new commercial partner, a process that was supposed to be completed by October 15, 2025, as per the commitment made to the Supreme Court. In a strongly-worded letter, addressed to the AIFF, the clubs highlighted that despite the Supreme Court’s directions, and a joint submission by the AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited, no tender document has been released. In addition to it, there hasn’t been any official communication on the next steps. The letter,…