East Bengal FC’s promising start to their AFC Women’s Champions League campaign was checked on Thursday as they went down 0-2 to defending champions Wuhan Jiangda FC in a Group B encounter. A ruthless opening spell from the Chinese side, driven by the influence of star forward Wang Shuang, proved decisive, leaving the Indian club with a crucial final group match still to come.
Having beaten Iran’s Bam Khatoon 3-1 in their opener, East Bengal entered the match with confidence. However, that belief was tested almost immediately by Wuhan’s sharp passing and relentless pressing. Their first warning came in the opening minutes when Deng Mengye raced into space following a clever through ball, only to be denied by a quick intervention from goalkeeper Elangbam Panthoi Chanu. The respite was short-lived. Moments later, Wang Shuang timed her run perfectly to connect with a low cross from Song Fei, sending the ball past a diving Panthoi to give the champions the lead.
East Bengal’s problems deepened when a VAR check awarded Wuhan a penalty after a collision inside the box. Wang Shuang stepped up and calmly converted, doubling the advantage within the first 20 minutes. From that point on, the contest became an uphill battle for the Moshal Girls.
Despite the scoreline, East Bengal did create openings. Soumya Guguloth came close in the first half but saw her shot fly over the bar, while Wuhan’s attackers repeatedly tested the Indian defence. Panthoi, however, stood tall and produced a series of impressive stops to keep the score from getting out of hand. She denied Mavis Owusu on more than one occasion and reacted sharply to efforts from Deng Mengye and Kim Hye-ri in the second half, showing resilience and composure under pressure.
One of East Bengal’s best chances arrived in the closing stages when Soumya slipped a through ball to Sushmita Lepcha, but the finish let them down, summing up their frustrating night in front of goal.
The 0-2 defeat puts East Bengal in a tight spot in Group B, but their campaign is far from over. They can still book a place in the quarter-finals if they avoid a heavy loss against Uzbekistan’s PFC Nasaf in their final group fixture on November 23. With their defensive grit and flashes of attacking intent, East Bengal will look to regroup quickly and keep their continental hopes alive.
– Ends
