Kolkata, January 21: Defending champions West Bengal made a commanding start to their Santosh Trophy 2026 campaign, cruising to a 4–0 victory over Nagaland in their Group A opener at the Dhakuakhana Football Stadium in Assam.

The match carried contrasting narratives. While West Bengal, 33-time champions and 14-time runners-up, stepped onto the field with history and expectation on their side, Nagaland marked a proud milestone by reaching the main stage of the Santosh Trophy for the first time. Yet, once the whistle blew, Bengal’s experience and composure quickly showed up.

Bengal struck early to seize control of the contest. In the 2nd minute, a well-delivered corner found one of Maroon Jersey, whose header was smartly redirected by Robi Hansda into the net, handing the defending champions an early 1–0 lead.

The pressure eventually told again in the 33rd minute when Sayan Banerjee doubled Bengal’s advantage. His finish capped off a sustained attacking move, leaving Nagaland chasing the game as Bengal went into the break firmly in command.

West Bengal resumed the second half with the same intent and extended their lead just four minutes after the restart. Akash Hemram used his speed, down the right flank before unleashing a long, grounded shot that beat the Nagaland goalkeeper, making it 3–0 in the 49th minute. The goal set the tone, with Bengal dictating possession and tempo while Nagaland struggled to settle.

Nagaland showed moments of comeback, and thought they had pulled one back in the 64th minute, but their effort was ruled out for offside.

As the match neared its conclusion, Bengal put the finishing touches on a dominant performance. In the 90th minute, substitute Aqib Nawab showcased his individual brilliance, cutting in from the left, exchanging a sharp one-touch move with his teammate, and calmly placing the ball on target and sealed 4–0 win.

The result underlined Sanjoy Sen’s Bengal’s pedigree as one of the most successful teams in Santosh Trophy history. For Bengal, it was the perfect start to their title defence, clinical, controlled, and confident, as this is just beginning, long way to go.