Saikat Saha Roy kept his nerve at undoubtedly the most crucial moment of his life on a football turf as East Bengal prevailed over Salgaocar 5-4 in sudden death to lift the Super Cup in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Overspending, scaling down of funds from sponsors, and administrative hiccups are seen as the main reasons for the dismal fiscal health of India's leading football clubs.
Brazilian striker Douglas Da Silva's goal earned defending champions East Bengal a draw in the Kolkata Super Division football league.
Arch rivals East Bengal and Mohun Bagan will feature in the opening match of the ninth National Football League.
Captain Ranti Martins fired in a hat-trick as I-League champions Dempo beat East Bengal 3-1 to lift the Super Cup football tournament in Gurgaon on Wednesday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has surged past the halfway mark in the West Bengal assembly elections, leading in 185 seats against the Trinamool Congress's 91, signalling a potential political shift in the state. Early trends suggest a geographically split mandate, with the BJP gaining in border, tribal, and industrial regions, while the TMC holds ground in parts of Kolkata and select rural strongholds.
The local giants took their points tally to 37 from 15 outings.
East Bengal became the first Indian team to qualify for the AFC Cup knock-out round with an unbeaten record after thrashing Vietnam outfit Sai Gon Xuan Thanh 4-1 in their concluding Group H league match at the Vivekananda Yubabharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the TMC of sheltering goons who torture women and promised citizenship to refugees in West Bengal. He highlighted the BJP's commitment to women's security by giving poll tickets to victims of violence.
The AIFF has referred the Minerva issue to its League Committee and maintained silence on East Bengal's concerns.
Kolkata Police's Special Task Force seized a cache of arms and ammunition near Rajabazar Science College and detained a man days before the two-phase polling in West Bengal.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has agreed "in principle" to the club-led model of running the Indian Super League (ISL) for two years and has conveyed it to the sports minister, a top official said on Tuesday.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant were held to a goalless draw by Inter Kashi in their Indian Super League clash, despite dominating possession.
East Bengal said they will travel to Srinagar for their match against Real Kashmir on February 28 if 'forced' to do so by the AIFF.
Goals from Matti Steinmann (6th) and Anthony Pilkington (68th) secured the victory for SCEB
Pune FC's spirited effort fell short as they went down 1-3 to Kingfisher East Bengal in an I-League Round-5 encounter at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan, in Kolkata, on Wednesday. The defeat was Pune FC's second consecutive in away games at Kolkata. They have five points, all from home matches.
Salgaocar Goa dashed East Bengal's hopes of a hat-trick of titles with a 3-1 victory in the final of the 33rd Federation Cup football tournament in Kolkata on Thursday. Edeh Chidi (fifth minute) and Francis Fernandes (19th) gave Salgaocar an early lead before substitute Ryuji Sueoka (66th minute) put the issue beyond doubt with a third goal to help Salgaocar regain the Federation Cup after a gap of 14 years.
The country's top two football clubs East Bengal and Salgaocar face each other in yet another battle for supremacy in the one-off Super Cup match, in New Delhi, on Tuesday.
East Bengal rode on Chidi Edeh's first-half strike and some moments of luck to beat Pune FC 1-0 in a Round Three I-League fixture, in Kolkata, on Monday.
The AIFF has approved a September 4 start for the 2026-27 Indian Super League but deferred a final decision on the league's governance structure, with further discussions set to continue between the federation and ISL clubs.
East Bengal's hopes of becoming the first Indian football club to enter the AFC Cup final were dashed after they were beaten 3-0 by a far superior Kuwait Sports Club in the second leg semi-final, in Kolkata, on Tuesday.
East Bengal slumped to their fourth straight defeat in the AFC Cup after a 1-4 drubbing at the hands of Al Qadsia in their away match in Kuwait City.
Federation Cup champions East Bengal suffered their second consecutive defeat in the AFC Cup after going down 0-3 to formidable Lebanese side Al Nejmeh in a lop-sided football match in Beirut.
India captain Bhaichung Bhutia will sign a year's 'contract' with East Bengal on Monday, the club's football secretary Santosh Bhattacharya said on Saturday even as the move evoked criticism from Mohun Bagan, who had suspended the ace striker.
Visitors East Bengal overcame their injury woes to hand Air India their second consecutive defeat, by a solitary goal, in the seventh round I-League match at the Cooperage in Mumbai on Saturday.
The win saw Manolo Marquez's team become the first side to defend the Super Cup title and win it for a record-extending third time.
East Bengal rode on defender Bello Rasaq's header to defeat Salgaocar 2-1 and jump to second place in the I-League football tournament in Barasat on Sunday.
Captain Paresh Shivalkar's goal in the 62nd minute gave the Mumbai team victory in the I-League match.
Sporting Clube de Goa and East Bengal won their opening matches in the I-League football tournament, beating Vasco and Chirag United 1-0 and 3-1 respectively.
The BJP is showing strong leads in West Bengal and Assam, while actor Vijay's party is making a significant debut in Tamil Nadu. The Congress is ahead in Kerala, offering some consolation amid the changing political landscape in the state elections.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted below-normal rainfall for India during the second half of the southwest monsoon season, specifically from August to September. This forecast indicates less than 94 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA) for the period. While July saw good rainfall activity due to low-pressure systems and the Madden-Julian Oscillation, the Southern Peninsula experienced significantly low rainfall and record high minimum temperatures.
This election is different. It is no longer simply about governance or welfare. It is about identity, fear, and who belongs. The BJP has successfully shifted the terms of the debate from what the government has delivered to who the real Bengali is and who is an outsider, points out Ramesh Menon.
Despite a population of 1.45 billion, India's football team is ranked a lowly 138th in the world and failed to qualify for next year's Asian Cup, highlighting deep-rooted systemic issues and a failure to implement reforms that keep the World Cup dream distant for fans.
Coach Subhas Bhowmick is banking heavily on Nigerian striker Mike Okoro for the February 10 match against Singapore's Geylang United.
The giants of Indian football clash in the final of the Durand Cup on Wednesday.
NEUFC are the fourth highest scoring teams with 42 strikes.
I-League champions Dempo ousted reigning champions Salgaocar from the 34th Federation Cup with a clinical 2-0 victory on Friday to set up a summit clash against last year's runners-up East Bengal. The final is on Sunday.
The arrival of Quess as sponsors has given East Bengal financial boost while Mohun Bagan are in talks with ATK to collaborate.
Talismanic Nigerian Edeh Chidi scored a hat-trick and set up a couple more goals as East Bengal thrashed Yangon United of Myanmar 5-1 to enter the AFC Cup quarter-finals for the second time after 2004.
