East Bengal failed to capitalise on home advantage in the first leg of their AFC Challenge League quarterfinal clash against FK Arkadag, suffering a frustrating 1-0 defeat at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. An early goal from Yazgylych Gurbanov proved to be the difference, as the Kolkata side, despite relentless efforts, could not find the equaliser.
The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric, with thousands of passionate East Bengal supporters waving red-and-yellow flags alongside national flags, hoping to witness a historic night after an 11-year wait for continental action. However, the players failed to rise to the occasion.
Arkadag, a dominant force in Turkmenistan’s domestic league, came into the fixture unbeaten in their two seasons of existence. Though they did not enjoy much possession, they were tactically disciplined and efficient in attack.
East Bengal, fielding five foreign players in their starting line-up against Arkadag’s fully domestic squad, failed to assert dominance. Just 10 minutes into the game, Arkadag cashed in on a defensive lapse. Hector Yuste misplaced a pass to Tirkishov Shanazar near the edge of the box, allowing the forward to set up Gurbanov, who calmly slotted the ball past Prabhsukhan Gill.
Arkadag nearly doubled their lead before the break when Gurbanov attempted a header, but Gill made a crucial save with his feet to keep the deficit at one.
Despite going behind early, East Bengal showed intent, pressing high and creating attacking moves. Their best chance of the first half came just before the break when Raphael Messi Bouli’s shot took a deflection and narrowly missed the target.
In the second half, East Bengal increased their attacking tempo, but the frontline lacked sharpness. Richard Celis and Dimitrios Diamantakos struggled to find rhythm, leaving the home side without the cutting edge needed in the final third.
The 71st minute saw East Bengal’s best opportunity of the match. A loose ball fell to Saul Crespo inside the box, but his initial shot was blocked by a defender. The rebound fell kindly to him again, but as he attempted another effort, he was off balance, wasting a golden chance.
Head coach Oscar Bruzon looked to capitalise on Arkadag’s fatigue, given the stark contrast in weather conditions between Turkmenistan and Kolkata, by introducing Cleiton Silva and Nishu Kumar for Diamantakos and Mohammad Rakip in the final stages of the game.
East Bengal continued to push forward, knocking on Arkadag’s door, but the visitors remained resolute. In stoppage time, a brilliant feint by Naorem Mahesh allowed him to deliver a deep cross to the far post. Vishnu extended his right foot to lay the ball off for Crespo, but Arkadag goalkeeper Charyyev reacted swiftly to collect the ball, denying the hosts yet again.
With this narrow home defeat, East Bengal now face an uphill battle in the second leg on March 12, where they must overturn the deficit in hostile conditions to keep their continental dreams alive.
The post East Bengal pay for early lapse in first leg of AFC Challenge League quarters appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports.
