East Bengal Women are off to a winning start in the AFC Women’s Champions League

Players in action during the AFC Women’s Champions League football match between East Bengal FC and Ho Chi Minh City WFC at the Kishore Bharati Stadium in Kolkata, West Bengal. (PTI Photo) Kolkata: East Bengal Women’s team got their Asia mission off to a flying start as they beat Vietnamese champions Ho Chi Minh City WFC 2-1 in their opening AFC Women’s League Champions League Group B match here on Sunday.Ugandan striker Fazila Ikwaput was the main architect of the hosts’ victory at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan, scoring both first-half goals to set up Moshal Girls for an historic eight in the continent’s premier women’s club football. There were some nervous moments, especially when Ho Chi Minh City reduced the lead through Dau Nguyen Quynh Anh on the hour mark. However, there was a display of will in their performance and coach Anthony Andrews’ no-nonsense approach to the game by starting with six foreigners paid off handsomely in the end.Indian football also got its first taste of a VAR-like system in the first match of the day, which saw North Korean champions 4.25 Sports Club edge South Korean rivals Hwacheon KSPO WFC 2-1. – Nilesh.Bhattacharya@timesofindia.com