Mohun Bagan awarded Calcutta Football League Trophy during IFA Shield match vs Sreenidi Deccan

Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s players and staff celebrate winning the Calcutta Football League, a tournament that it won after eight years. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Calcutta Football League (CFL) champion Mohun Bagan Super Giant was presented with the winner’s trophy during the half-time break of its IFA Shield opener against Sreenidi Deccan here on Wednesday.

Bagan ended its eight-year drought for the CFK trophy, beating Mohammedan Sporting last week and dethroning arch-rival East Bengal. Needing a win to secure the title on the final matchday, Bagan rode on a brace by Sahal Abdul Samad and a winner by Sayan Banerjee to come from behind and beat the Black Panthers 3-2 at the Barasat Stadium.

On Wednesday, West Bengal’s Sports Minister, Dr. Indranil Khan, presented the trophy to the Mariners in the presence of Indian Football Association (IFA) secretary Anirban Dutta among other eminent guests.

Both the IFA Shield and the CFL are tournaments under the aegis of IFA.

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Bagan, which conventionally played its reserve sides at the CFL, opted to go for a full-strength senior Indian squad for the CFL this season, featuring several Indian internationals, including Sahal, Manvir Singh, Liston Colaco and Lallianzuala Chhangte.

While Manvir, Sahal and Lalengmawia Ralte left for national team duties in the upcoming window, the rest have continued training under senior team head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis.

On Wednesday, the Mariners began the IFA Shield with a commanding 6-0 win over Indian Football League side Sreenidi Deccan. Chhangte netted a brace and assisted another as Bagan looks menacing in its first match of the tournament, where it will look to defend the Shield, which it historically won in 1911.