AIFF Super Cup Semi-finals Preview: East Bengal, Punjab, Goa, Mumbai City aim for summit clash. Pictures BS News Agency.
Sanchita Chatterjee, BS News Agency, Fatorda, Goa: The race for a place in the AIFF Super Cup 2025-26 final reaches a boiling point on Thursday, December 4, 2025, as East Bengal FC, Punjab FC, FC Goa and Mumbai City FC are set to feature on a double-header semi-final day.
Champions of the 2024 edition, East Bengal FC, and first-time semi-finalists Punjab FC, lock horns in the first semi-final at the PJN Stadium in Fatorda, Goa, at 16:00 IST, before defending champions FC Goa take on Mumbai City FC at 20:00 IST at the same venue. The matches will be broadcast live on Star Sports Khel and streamed on JioHotstar.
East Bengal FC vs Punjab FC (16:00 IST). Pictures BS News Agency.
Both sides marched into the semi-finals after topping two of the tightest groups in the competition. In their last group stage fixtures, East Bengal battled out a goalless draw with city rivals Mohun Bagan SG, while Punjab FC won a nail-biting penalty shoot-out against Bengaluru FC after they ended up with an identical record with defensive perfection and no goals conceded.
East Bengal head coach Óscar Bruzón underlined the meticulous preparation that has gone into the campaign.
"Our preparation has been ongoing for months, not just this last phase. We began our training camp in July, played pre-season tournaments, and integrated several new players. This period helped us build automatisms, understanding, and collective knowledge. We trust out identity and game model. We feel mature in what we do, and tomorrow we need to bring that onto the pitch to achieve the best result.”
Full-back Jay Gupta, gearing up for what could be a big week for his club, echoed the anticipation.
"This tournament secures a spot in Asia, something our fans truly deserve. We’re fully prepared and eager to get on the pitch.” Punjab FC’s defensive resilience has been widely discussed, but when asked about potential weaknesses, Bruzón was firm in his assessment.
“We have huge respect for Punjab. They haven’t conceded a single goal in the group stage. They are aggressive, compact, resilient, and strong in vertical transitions. We anticipate changes from them, including some new additions, so we’re prepared for variations in line-up, substitutions, and possibly their system.”