117th IFA Shield: Prayag United new Shield champions!

Prayag United SC beat defending champions East Bengal Club 1-0 in the final of the 117th IFA Shield at the floodlit Saltlake Stadium last night to lift their first-ever Shield title against the record champions.

In a tactical match which never rose to any great heights it was the individual brilliance of Nigerian striker Ranty Martins Soleye which won the men in purple their first trophy of the season, while a tired looking East Bengal could not add to their Federation Cup title.

East Bengal were the better of the two sides in the first session, while Prayag United SC saw more of the action after the break though it wasn't the most entertaining of matches. In the end a Ranty Martins strike in the 79th minute was enough for Prayag United to win the match and the title.


MATCH STATS

Prayag United SC 1-0 (0-0) East Bengal Club - Goals: 1-0 Ranty Martins Soleye (79')

Prayag United SC
31-Sangram Mukherjee - 17-Deepak Kumar Mondal [C], 19-Gouramangi Moirangthem Singh, 6-Bello Rasaq, 18-Sukhen Dey - 13-James Lukram Singh (61' 28-Shylo Malswam Tulunga, 89' 25-Shankar Oraon), 20-Asif K., 16-Carlos Hernandez, 8-Lalkamal Bhowmick, 14-Mohammed Rafique - 9-Ranty Martins Soleye (90+1' 10-Kayne Vincent)

East Bengal Club
30-Gurpreet Singh Sandhu - 7-Harmanjot Singh Khabra, 16-Gurwinder Singh, 4-Uga Okpara, 29-Saumik Dey - 15-Sanju Pradhan [C], 14-Mehtab Hossain, 18-Penn Ikechukwu Orji (78' 10-Chidi Edeh), 21-Lalrindika Ralte (57' 8-Thokchom Naoba Singh) - 27-Andrew Barisic, 6-Baljit Singh Sahni (59' 23-Robin Singh)

Referee
M.B. Santosh Kumar (Kerala)

Man of the Match
Ranty Martins Soleye (Prayag United SC)