New Season. The Shield Defense begins!
The Mariners head into this fixture on the back of a historic Derby triumph over East Bengal, clinching their second consecutive IFA Shield title in emphatic fashion. Having avenged their Durand Cup final heartbreak against their arch-rivals, Mohun Bagan will be brimming with confidence as they look to carry that winning momentum into the ISL campaign.
NorthEast United, meanwhile, will be eager to put their humiliating 7-2 defeat against East Bengal behind them and turn the page on a disappointing result. And what better way to bounce back than by taking down the very side that emerged victorious against their rivals? Determined to make a statement on home turf, the stage is set for a fascinating battle in Guwahati.
WHERE TO WATCH THE MATCH
📅 October 12, 2026 (Monday), 7:30 PM🏟️ Sarusajai Stadium, Guwahati
🏆 MGISL 2026-27
📡 YouTube and Sony Liv
🎯 LIVE MATCH UPDATE ON MBFT.IN
🎟️ Buy Tickets on BookMyShow
Probable Lineups
Mohun Bagan SG (4-3-3) : Kaith(GK) (C) ; Mehtab, Rahul, Alberto,Tekcham ; Zeljkovic, Apuia, Miguel ; Chhangte, Erwin, Manvir.Coach: Panagiotis Dilmperis.
NorthEast United FC(4-4-2) : Gurmeet (GK) ; Nikhil, Asheer, Eneko, Redeem (C) ; Rabeeh, Macarton, Nikola, Ethyan ; Jithin, Ajaraie.
Coach: Juan Pedro Ben Ali.
Tactical Analysis
The Mariners have played the Highlanders twice this season, settling for a draw in both the meetings. So they would be eager to finally break the deadlock in their opening match of the ISL campaign. Coach Panos is expected to stick to a 4-at-the-back formation just like the final. Mehtab has been exceptional as a defensive full back. Tekcham should retain the left-back role till Bose returns back to form.Miguel would most likely be back on the team and would be the centre of our midfield creativity. Chhangte has been exceptional this season in creating chances at the attack as well as aiding in the defence. His coordination with Manvir and Lee would be very crucial for our attack.
NorthEast on the other hand, would be eager to fix their defensive woes from their recent 7-2 annihilation. Coach Ben Ali is expected to do no further strange experiments and bring back Asheer and Gurmeet to the starting lineups. Macarton's return will improve the midfield conditions but judging from the state of confidence and current form, Bagan are the clear favourites to win.
Players To Watch Out For
Miguel Figueira : Last season's Golden Ball winner, the Brazilian magician has not been at his best in the pre-season since joining the Mariners. But he is still a high quality player and would surely like to prove his doubters wrong. And what better stage to prove that than the ISL itself!Samir Zeljkovic : Nicknamed the 'Box crasher', this Bosnian superstar has been in tremendous form. The hero of the IFA shield final, his versatility has impressed us all. A natural CMF with a knack of goals, he is going to create a lot of problems for our opponents.
Ethyan Gonzalez : The young Spaniard has been exceptional on the attack for the Highlanders. Denying us the victory in our last meeting,he would definitely try to do the same once again.
