IFA Shield 2026 — Punjab FC thrashes Calcutta Customs to enter semifinals before East Bengal clash
Raphael Messi Bouli completed his hat-trick in the first half as Punjab FC began its IFA Shield campaign on a dominant note. | Photo Credit: Punjab FC Media
Raphael Messi Bouli completed his hat-trick in the first half as Punjab FC began its IFA Shield campaign on a dominant note. | Photo Credit: Punjab FC Media
Punjab FC kicked off its IFA Shield 2026-27 campaign in spectacular fashion with a 7-0 rout against Calcutta Customs Club at the Barasat Stadium on Sunday.
Former East Bengal and Jamshedpur FC forward Raphael Messi Bouli netted a hat-trick and assisted two more, rightfully earning the Player of the Match award for his heroics.
Calcutta Customs, which lost 1-3 to Mohun Bagan Super Giant in its previous match, continued to remain second-best to Indian Super League sides, conceding the two goals in just 13 minutes. Messi Bouli netted both, combining with Sanathoi Singh and Manglenthang Kipgen.
Refusing to let the local side breathe, Punjab FC maintained relentless pressure. Kipgen continued to press effectively from the middle of the park, leaving Calcutta Customs helpless. The local side gave away possession too often and couldn’t find any goalscoring opportunities or half-chances.
The chemistry of Messi Bouli and Sanathoi yielded another striker seven minutes later, with the Cameroonian forward setting the 19-year-old, who tapped it keeping a cool head.
Kipgen, another young Indian prodigy, sent in a cross from the right flank for Bishu Sharma to power the Shers to 4-0 ahead at the half-hour mark.
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The shoulders of Calcutta Customs looked to have dropped by then and Alfred Moya, playing for his third club in India, piled on further misery, converting from a Messi Bouli backheel before the Cameroonian completed his hat-trick a minute later.
Though the competition seemed long over, Punjab looked for more goals after the break, which arrived from its new signing Diego Raposo, the Brazilian forward who moved to India from Bulgaria this summer.
Customs, which showed some attacking intent against Bagan, with Riki Gharami’s runs along the flanks, looked to have left its scoring boots at home. The Shers, meanwhile, got another goal to their name when former India under-23 forward Gurkirat Singh came off the bench to square off a dominant showing in Barasat.
The result also ensured Punjab FC a spot in the IFA Shield semifinals, and will face either Bagan or NorthEast United for spot in the summit clash.
The Shers will play East Bengal in a dead rubber nect at the East Bengal Ground in Kolkata on September 30.
Published on Sep 27, 2026
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