Fazila's Double Delight Fires East Bengal to Historic AFC Champions League Victory

East Bengal FC began their AFC Women’s Champions League campaign on a winning note, defeating Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC 2-1 in a Group B encounter on Sunday, November 1. Ugandan striker Fazila Ikwaput scored twice to guide the Kolkata-based side to a hard-fought victory and secure all three points.

The win also made East Bengal the first Indian club to register multiple victories in the group stage of the tournament. The club had previously defeated Iran’s Bam Khatoon FC 3-1 in the last edition of the competition.

Both teams created scoring opportunities during an evenly contested opening spell. Ho Chi Minh City came close to taking the lead when Ngo Thi Hong Nhung’s volley struck the crossbar, while East Bengal’s Resty Naziri missed a close-range opportunity.

East Bengal broke the deadlock in the 20th minute after Football Video Support detected a handball by Rielly Chesna while attempting to stop Ikwaput’s forward run. The Ugandan striker converted the resulting penalty to put the Indian side ahead.

East Bengal nearly doubled their advantage eight minutes later, but Olivia Anokye’s long-range effort hit the crossbar. Ikwaput eventually scored her second goal in the 34th minute, capitalising on Tanaka Hitomi’s powerful header before holding off Chesna and slotting the ball past advancing goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh.

Ho Chi Minh City fought back after the break and reduced the deficit in the 60th minute. Tran Thi Thu Xuan’s free-kick created confusion inside the penalty area, allowing substitute Dau Nguyen Quynh Anh to head home.

The Vietnamese side continued pressing for an equaliser, but East Bengal defended resolutely. Their opportunity to extend the lead in the 74th minute was denied when Cu Thi Huynh Nhu produced a crucial sliding block to stop Ikwaput.

East Bengal will next face Korea Republic’s Hwacheon KSPO WFC on Wednesday, while Ho Chi Minh City take on DPR Korea’s 4.25 SC. Hwacheon KSPO had earlier lost 1-2 to the North Korean outfit.