Mohun Bagan made their twelfth appearance in the final after they defeated another Kolkata giant Mohammedan Sporting 1–0 in the semi-final, having won it six times previously in 1911, 1947, 1948, 1952, 1954, and 1956.
[1] Mohun Bagan started the attack in the very first minute as Pansanttom Venkatesh crossed a ball towards K. Pal but the latter could not bring it down under control and made a handball.
East Bengal countered in the next minute as Moosa Ghazi headed a ball from a cross from B. Narayan but was saved by the Bagan custodian Abani Bose safely.
Mohun Bagan took the lead in the twentieth minute after Samar Banerjee received a pass from Chuni Goswami and found the net with a powerful shot to make it 1–0.
East Bengal equalized just in the very next minute after Mariappa Kempaiah volleyed the ball into his own goal trying to clear a shot from Masoodul Hassan Butt as the game leveled at 1–1 before halftime.