East Bengal Football Club (EBFC) suffered a disappointing 3-2 defeat against Altyn Asyr FC of Turkmenistan in the preliminary stage of the inaugural AFC Champions League Two.
The match began on a good note for the red-and-gold brigade, with Mohammad Rakip delivering a precise ball into the box in the third minute, but the Altyn defenders successfully kept it from reaching the goal. The intensity escalated, and the home team broke the deadlock in the seventh minute. Nandhakumar Sekar sent an excellent cross from the left flank that David Lalhlansanga headed towards goal, only to have it saved by the goalkeeper. Fortunately, the ball deflected off the post and back into play, allowing David to capitalise on the defenders’ inability to clear it, slotting the ball home.
East Bengal fans erupted in cheers, chanting their players’ names. However, the visitors displayed commendable resilience over the next 20 minutes despite conceding the early goal. Their strategy centred around delivering long balls from the back over the East Bengal defence, hoping that their strikers could convert those opportunities. Their hopes materialised in the 17th minute when Myrat Annayev volleyed the ball into the left corner, leaving Prabhsukhan Gill as a mere spectator.
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The pressure from Altyn continued to mount, and in the 26th minute, Sauvik Chakrabarti received a yellow card for a tackle that resulted in a free-kick. Nurmyradov Selim left Gill stunned with a brilliant effort, giving the Turkmen side a 2-1 lead as the first half came to a close.
In the second half, Carles Cuadrat introduced Diamantakos and Jeakson Singh, but their impact was minimal as the visitors maintained their high pressing. In the 52nd minute, a defensive lapse from the home team allowed Mihali Titov to take advantage and extend Altyn’s lead to 3-1. The crowd fell silent as the home team struggled to mount any significant attacks.
However, against the run of play, Saul Crespo curled the ball into the net in the 59th minute, reigniting hopes for his team. Cleiton Silva and Aman were also brought on, and in the 80th minute, Silva appeared to have equalised, but the referee disallowed the goal, leaving the score unchanged.
Ultimately, Altyn Asyr managed to hold onto their lead, securing their place in the main draw of the AFC Champions League 2. This defeat means East Bengal will drop to the third tier of the continental club competition and compete in the AFC Challenge Cup.
Also Read: East Bengal vs Altyn Asyr: Key Clash in AFC Champions League Two Preliminary Stage