Kolkata, January 28: West Bengal’s flawless winning run in the Santosh Trophy 2026 faced a hurdle as the defending champions were held to a 1–1 draw by Tamil Nadu in their fourth group-stage clash at the Shilapathar Football Stadium, Assam. After three consecutive victories, Bengal conceded their first goal of the tournament but did enough to collect a point and remain firmly on course for the semi-finals.
The match began at a high tempo, with Tamil Nadu showing early intent. In the 23rd minute, Karthick displayed brilliant piece of skill, beating his marker with a step-over before entering the box from the left. His powerful shot forced Bengal goalkeeper Gourab Shaw into a stunning save. Tamil Nadu reacted quickly to the rebound, but the follow-up attempt failed to trouble West Bengal.
Bengal grew into the game but struggled to convert clear-cut chances.The deadlock was broken in the 62nd minute when Nandha Kumar struck from distance. Positioned near the right corner of the box, he unleashed a long-range effort that caught Gourab Shaw off his line, giving Tamil Nadu a lead.
Trailing for the first time in the tournament, West Bengal pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Their persistence paid off in the 80th minute. Bijoy Murmu delivered a cross from the right, Narohari moved in to attempt the finish, but Sujit Sandhu got the final touch, to level the score at 1–1.
The closing stages saw both sides searching for a winner, but neither could find a decisive breakthrough, and the match ended all square.
With four matches played, West Bengal sit comfortably atop Group A with the most points and a healthy goal difference, making them favourites to progress to the semi-finals after round four.They will face hosts Assam in their final group fixture on 30 August, looking to finish the group stage on a strong note.
Santosh Trophy 2025-26: West Bengal vs Tamil Nadu highlights
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