A brace by Gouranga Biswas helped Bengal defeat Services 2-0 in the semi-finals and reach the title round in the 63rd National Football Championship, for the Santosh Trophy, in Chennai on Wednesday.
The victory enabled Bengal avenged last year's 1-4 humiliation by Services at the same stage.
They now await the winner of Thursday's semi-final between Tamil Nadu and Goa in Sunday's title round.
Bengal, who reached the final in 2007 only to be derailed by Punjab, are hoping to end their 10-year title drought at the national stage.
Chirag United mid-fielder Gouranga headed Bengal into the lead in the 35th minute against the run of play. A powerful drive from the hardworking PC Lalwmpuiya was headed beyond Services goalkeeper Sujan Suku.
Buoyed by the goal, Bengal went on the offensive and gave Services some anxious moments.
Last year's runners-up too came up with some chances of their own but S Raleng, who was instrumental in Services moving to the final in the previous edition, and Gordon Zoramchhana wasted them.
They were also guilty of holding on to the ball for far too long and thereby wasting good opportunities.
Crossing over, Services had a couple of chances and even an indirect free-kick from inside the box in the 62nd minute but in vain and Bengal pounced from the resultant free-kick to forge ahead.
Services captain Shaji D'Silva was going for the ball inside the Bengal box when he was tripped by Safar Sardar.
The resultant free-kick by Gordon hit the boot of a Bengal defender. Here the Bengal players broke free on the counter and an unmarked Gouranga beat Mahesh Rai and then placed the ball past an onrushing Suku for the team's insurance goal.
