Agartala’s renowned Forward Club etched their name into the winner's column after a long six-year wait by clinching the prestigious Rakhal Shield Knockout Trophy with a convincing 2-0 win over Blood Mouth Club in a high-octane final held at the Umakanta Mini Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Roared on by a packed stadium of passionate fans, the clash unfolded with both sides displaying intense attacking intent from the kick-off. Forward Club, however, showed better composure in the final third. It was Senthamils who broke the deadlock in the 17th minute with a clinical finish that sent the Forward camp into celebration.

Despite trailing, Blood Mouth Club remained relentless, attempting to find an equalizer through a series of well-constructed attacks. But their lack of finishing and failure to exploit space on the flanks left them frustrated against a rock-solid Forward defense.

After the break, the match evolved into a tactical tug-of-war. Blood Mouth increased their urgency, but it was Forward Club that struck again — this time through Siyam Pui, who found the net in the 56th minute with a composed effort, doubling the lead and virtually sealing the outcome.

Blood Mouth Club never gave up, pushing hard until the final whistle, but Forward's defensive discipline denied them any chance of a comeback. With the victory, Forward Club finally lifted the Rakhal Shield Trophy after a gap of six years, their last win coming in 2019.

The final, officiated by referee Dhanesh Shah, concluded with a prize distribution ceremony. Forward Club walked away with a cash prize of Rs 60,000, while the runners-up, Blood Mouth Club, received Rs 40,000. The evening ended with jubilant celebrations as Forward fans rejoiced in their team’s return to championship glory.

Chief Minister of Tripura Dr. Manik Saha, who attended the closing ceremony, commented, “Football is a game of passion, enthusiasm, and sheer excitement! Today, I thoroughly enjoyed the thrilling final match of the Rakhal Shield Knockout Football Tournament between Bloodmouth Club and Forward Club at the Umakanta Synthetic Turf Mini Stadium, Agartala. It was a pleasure to witness such high-octane talent on the field and to encourage all the players by participating in the prize distribution ceremony.”

He said that the state is achieving good results in various sports at the all-India level and the present government is working for the development of sports infrastructure further.

“Children need a platform. We are working for the development of sports infrastructure further,” he said. He said that both Forward Club and Blood Mouth played well, and Forward Club clinched the title.