117th IFA Shield: East Bengal first team in semifinals

Kolkata giants and record champions East Bengal Club are the first team to qualify for the semifinals of the 117th edition of the ‘NVD’ IFA Shield after their third win in as many matches.After their 2-0 victory against Prayag United SC at the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri on Friday afternoon, the red-and-gold have finished with nine points from three matches in Group A which means that they will finish top of the group and surely qualify for the semifinals, while Prayag United, ONGC and the Pailan Arrows fight it out for the other spot.In their opening game East Bengal had won 1-0 against the Pailan Arrows and then followed it up with a 2-1 win against ONGC.

But due to their AFC Cup match on March 13 against Sai Gon Xuan Thanh in Ho Chi Minh City, East Bengal had to rush through their IFA Shield commitments and their semifinals will only be played once they return from Vietnam.