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East Bengal Blow Two-Goal Lead In AFC Champions League Two Opener Vs Al Hussein
East Bengal let a two-goal cushion slip as Jordanian champions Al Hussein SC staged a second-half comeback to bag a 2-2 draw in the AFC Champions League Two opener.
East Bengal FC surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Jordanian Pro League champions Al Hussein SC in their AFC Champions League Two Group D opener on Wednesday.
The ISL champions went into the break 2-0 up, with Daniel Ramírez and Anwar Ali finding the net. But Al Hussein struck twice in the second half in front of their home fans to earn a share of the spoils.
East Bengal will now face Iraq’s Al Shorta SC on the second matchday at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on October 13.
The draw marked the first point for an Indian club in Asia’s second-tier men’s club competition since it was rebranded as the ACL Two in 2024-25.
East Bengal took the lead in the ninth minute when Edmund Lalrindika’s effort fell to Yazeed Abulaila. The Al Hussein goalkeeper could just palm the ball into the path of Daniel Ramírez, who made no mistake from close range.
Al Hussein soon woke up and created a flurry of opportunities, with Aref Haitham cutting in from the right and firing just over the bar before Prabhsukhan Singh Gill denied Pedro Henrique with a powerful header.
Against the run of play, East Bengal almost doubled their lead in the 38th minute when a swift counter-attack saw Jay Gupta find Lalrindika inside the box, but the forward could just watch in dismay as he blazed his effort over the bar from close range.
East Bengal doubled their lead just two minutes later when Abulaila misjudged Ramírez’s corner from the right, with the ball deflecting off Anwar Ali’s shoulder and into the net.
Al Hussein’s desperation to find a way back into the match after the break could just produce wayward attempts from distance by Abdallah Nasib and Saleem Amer.
The home team’s persistence paid off in the 61st minute when Kharouba won possession from Hardik Bhatt and drove into the box before cutting the ball back for captain Mahmoud Al Mardi, who slid it home.
Al Hussein weren’t done and found the equaliser in the 87th minute when Obaida Al Namarnah’s cross from the left flank was steered in by Ahmad Assaf.
(With PTI Inputs)
East Bengal FC drew 2-2 with Jordanian Pro League champions Al Hussein SC in their AFC Champions League Two Group D opener. Despite taking a 2-0 lead in the first half with goals from Daniel Ramírez and Anwar Ali, East Bengal surrendered their advantage as Al Hussein scored twice in the second half to secure a draw.