Punjab FC thrashed Calcutta Customs 7-0 in the IFA Shield, with Raphael Messi Bouli scoring a hat-trick as the Shers sealed their place in the semi-finals.
Punjab FC thrashed Calcutta Customs in their first match of the IFA Shield, winning the match one-sided 7-0 and also blocking the journey of Calcutta Customs in the IFA Shield.
Pavlos Dermitzak, Punjab FC’s new head coach, faced his first assignment at Barasat Stadium on a scorching afternoon on September 27. With this win, they also reached the semi-finals, joining East Bengal from Group B.
Raphael Messi Bouli, scored a hat-trick in this match, this was the second hat-trick of the season after Mohun Bagan’s Chhangte scored his first hat-trick in the opener.
The IFA Shield 2026-27 season remained a goal fest till now, with Punjab FC emphasising the fact by scoring 7 goals.
Punjab FC’s ruthless performance
Punjab FC produced a ruthless attacking display, tearing Calcutta Customs apart with wave after wave of pressure.
The Shers needed barely six minutes to open the floodgates, as Raphael Messi Bouli found the net and then struck again just two minutes later to put Punjab firmly in control. Calcutta Customs struggled to settle, and the pressure eventually told again when Konsam Sanathoi Singh made it 3–0 in the 20th minute.
Bishu Sharma added another ten minutes later, before Alfred Planas Moya extended the advantage just before half-time. Bouli then completed his hat-trick in the 44th minute, putting the game beyond doubt. Gurkirat Singh added the finishing touch in the second half as Punjab FC wrapped up a commanding 7–0 victory.
Raphael Messi, the one on whom Pavlos Dermitzak can rely
Raphael Messi Bouli, the player of the match, joined the club this year and it was his first match for the Shers, coming into the IFA Shield, Punjab FC strengthened their squad announcing 20 Indian players and four foreigners, other than Raphael Messi who came from Cameroon, Patrick Gerard Bahanack, Diego Raposo, and Alfred Planas Moya joined the team as foreigners.
Punjab’s new management consists of the head coach Pavlos, who will work alongside Technical Director Georgios Angelidis and Assistant Coach Sankarlal Chakraborty.
Before the East Bengal match Raphael Messi Bouli will have to hold the nerves as he will be playing against his first Indian club. Whether the red and yellow brigade chooses to include the foreigners in the side will be interesting to watch.
Punjab FC will face East Bengal on 30th September.
IFA Shield 2026 – Punjab FC vs Calcutta Customs
Read more about Indian Football
