In a pulsating start to their AFC Women’s Champions League 2025-26 Group B campaign, East Bengal FC etched their name into Indian football history by becoming the first Indian club to win a group stage match in the AWCL, as they defeated Iast season’s quarter-finalists, Bam Khatoon FC (Iran) 3-1 at Wuhan’s Hankou Cultural Sports Centre earlier today.
Playing in freezing cold and rainy conditions, EBFC Women dictated the tempo from the outset, overwhelming their Iranian counterparts with waves of attacks. Goals from Shilky Devi, Fazila Ikwaput and a stunning late strike from Resty Nanziri sealed three points for EBFC Women, whilst Mona Hamoudi’s penalty pulled one back for Bam Khatoon.
The Red & Gold Women wasted no time in asserting their dominance. Just four minutes in, a frantic scramble in the Bam Khatoon box saw Fazila Ikwaput’s initial efforts blocked twice, but the loose ball fell to Shilky on the edge of the area. The midfielder drove a low shot into the bottom right corner, beating the rival custodian and giving her side an early lead.
The ‘Moshal Girls’ kept pushing forward as Bam Khatoon struggled to contain the pace and resorted to long-range speculative shots. Sara Didar and Fatemah Geraeli tested EBFC goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu from distance, but both their efforts sailed harmlessly wide.
EBFC Women doubled their lead in the 32nd minute when captain Fazila Ikwaput capitalized on a perfectly-timed through ball from Amnah Nababi to score her second goal in red & gold colours.
Soon after, Soumya Guguloth’s precise cross found Resty Nanziri inside the six-yard box, but the Ugandan attacker blazed her volley over the bar.
Bam Khatoon scored their only goal deep into the first half stoppage time as they were awarded a penalty after the Football Video Support (FVS) adjudged Jyoti Chouhan to have handled the ball inside the rival box.
Bam Khatoon started the second half on a stronger note with Fatemah Pasandideh testing Panthoi from outside the box, while Geraeli’s curling free-kick at the hour mark forced the EBFC goalkeeper into a fingertip save.
The game’s momentum swung decisively in the 79th minute when Ikwaput, who threatened the Bam Khatoon defence all afternoon, rattled the right post with a fierce strike from inside the box, while the rival custodian denied her once again in the 84th minute with a low save.
In the 87th minute, Nanziri spotted the Bam Khatoon goalkeeper off her line and unleashed a spectacular long-range shot to score her first goal of the season.
Nanziri was eventually adjudged the Player of the Match.
Speaking to the media after the win, EBFC Women’s Head Coach Anthony Andrews said, “This game was not easy by any means. I am very proud of what we have achieved as a group. The weather conditions here have been very challenging. However, we’ll keep improving and try to make the best use of the next two games to pave our way forward.”
EBFC Women will next face hosts and defending champions Wuhan Jiangda at the same venue on 20 November, Thursday.