East Bengal vs Namdhari, IFA Shield 2025, AS IT HAPPENED: East Bengal secured a 2-0 win over Namdhari FC at Kishore Bharati Stadium on October 14 to reach the IFA Shield final. Mohammad Bin Rashid opened the scoring in the 19th minute, and PV Vishnu doubled the lead just before half-time.
The second half saw East Bengal control the game comfortably, keeping Namdhari at bay. Even though the Ludhiana outfit dominated the game in the last 20 mins of the game. With this win, East Bengal top their group and will face either Mohun Bagan Super Giant or United SC in the final on October 18, marking their return to the IFA Shield final after 12 years.

That's it! East Bengal win 2-0 ! They top their group and have made their way to the final of the prestigious IFA Shield! We are expecting a Kolkata Derby in the final!
5 minutes have been added on for stoppages...
We are now into the 75th min of the game and just 15 minutes of holding and East Bengal will be in the IFA Shield final after a gap of 12 years.
65 minutes have crossed and Jesin TK and Hamid Ahadad have been brought in by EB.
Brilliant play there from PV Vishnu and really he deserved a goal! He did well to cut inside the box amidst the crowd and his rght-footed attempt swerved away from goal!
East Bengal keep up their pressure game. They are no way settling down with a 2-0 lead and would love to do an encore of their previous game. Meanwhile, Namadhari have been quite hard to the EB players with their reckless tackles.
We are back for the second-half! East Bengal will be looking to extend their lead now as they have already put one foot in the final.
It's half-time here at the Kishore Bharati! East Bengal go into the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead, thanks to Rashid and Vishnu.
4 minutes have been added on for stoppages. Can East Bengal extend their lead to 3-0?
GOOAAL!! East Bengal were knocking on the door once again and it had it coming! PV Vishnu doubles the lead just before half-time after a good link-up play from David and Bipin.
Great move from East Bengal! Saul laid out a brilliant through ball to Jay Gupta from the left and Jay made good space for him before laying it off to David, but David failed to reach on time as keeper Neeraj Kumar collects it comfortably.
Namdhari lead 52-48 as far as the possession is concerned, but it's East Bengal, who made it count.
East Bengal keep up the pressure game. It's a no-brainer that a 1-goal lead is never a comfortable advantage and the home side will look to get a second one to put Namdhari on the backfoot.
GOOAAL!! East Bengal break the deadlock! It's Mohammad Bin Rashid, the Palestinian midfielder, who scores a screamer! Miguel header's which came off the post, fell to Rashid and the CDM scores a worldie from just outside the box! Important lead for the home side.
Till now both the sides have a shot each on target. Even though, the Kolkata outfit should've done better with their opportunity.
East Bengal clearly had the better chances so far. Every now and then, they are showing promise with good balls into the box.
As far as the Namdhari players are concerned, Michael looks good on the left, but he is not getting much support from his teammates to generate anything.
Chance goes begging! Bipin's cross from the left caught Namdhari keeper off-guard as he just manages to clear it. But the loose ball fell to Miguel, who in turn failed to captialise on the volley from inside of the box and the ball then came straight to Rashid, who's first-time effort didn't make any difference.
East Bengal showing signs of aggression early on in the game. They look composed but constantly pressing men forward to put Namdhari under pressure.
We are underway at the Kishore Bharati! East Bengal need just a draw to qualify owing to their superior goal difference.
Namdhari Playing XI: Sehadjeep, Jaskaranpreet, Niraj, Lamine, Osei, Kamalpreet, Balkaran, Guilherme, Karandeep, Mattummal, Bhupinder.
Well, East Bengal are starting with David today, instead of Hamid Ahadad. It's an important match and coach Oscar Bruzon is experimenting a bit.
East Bengal Playing XI: Gill, Rakip, Kevin, Nunga, Jay, Rashid, Saul, Miguel, Vishnu, Bipin, David.
A win guarantees a place in the final, but East Bengal need only a draw to advance, holding a +4 goal difference against Namdhari's +3. Both teams head into the contest with confidence - East Bengal crushed Sreenidi Deccan 4-0, while Namdhari sealed a 3-0 victory over the same side. The stage is perfectly set for a high-stakes battle for the top spot and a final berth.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the IFA Shield 2025 match between East Bengal and Namdhari!
Both teams have been in fine form in the group stage. East Bengal registered a dominant 4-0 victory over Sreenidi Deccan FC, while Namdhari FC impressed with a 3-0 win against the same opponent. This sets up a tantalising battle for the top spot in the group, with the final ticket on the line.
The eventual group topper will face either Mohun Bagan Super Giant or United SC in the tournament final, scheduled for October 18. In Group B, both Mohun Bagan and United SC have already defeated Gokulam Kerala and will meet on Wednesday, October 15, to decide their finalist.
For East Bengal, this tournament holds special significance - they last lifted the IFA Shield trophy in 2012 and are now eyeing a return to glory. On the other hand, Namdhari FC, one of the rising sides in Indian football, will be eager to script history by reaching their maiden final.
Historically, Mohun Bagan remain the second-most successful team in the IFA Shield, having won 20 titles, with their last triumph coming in 2003.
With the current standings hinting at a possible East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan final, fans are buzzing with excitement at the thought of witnessing a Kolkata Derby in the 50th edition of the IFA Shield - a fitting tribute to India's oldest football rivalry and a grand celebration of Kolkata's football heritage.