East Bengal FC’s promising start to their AFC Women’s League Champions League campaign was confirmed on Thursday when they lost 2-0 to defending champions Wuhan Jiangda FC in Group B. A ferocious opening spell from the Chinese side, fueled by the influence of star striker Wang Shuang, proved decisive, leaving the Indian club with a crucial final group game yet to come.
East Bengal went into the match confident after defeating Iran’s Bam Khatoon 3-1 in the opener. However, that belief was almost immediately tested by Wuhan’s fierce passing and relentless pressing. Their first warning came in the opening minutes when Deng Mengye raced into the area after a clever pass but was denied by a quick save from Elangbam goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu. The respite was short-lived. Moments later, Wang Shuang timed her run perfectly to connect with a low cross from Song Fei and send the ball past the leaping Panthoi to give the champions the lead.
East Bengal’s problems were compounded when a VAR review awarded Wuhan a penalty following a collision in the box. Wang Shuang came on and calmly converted to double the lead inside the first 20 minutes. From that moment on, the competition became an uphill battle for the Moshal Girls.
Despite the score, East Bengal created openings. Soumya Guguloth came close in the first half but her shot flew over the bar as Wuhan’s forwards repeatedly tested the Indian defence. However, Panthoi stood tall and produced a number of impressive stops to keep the scoreline from spiraling out of control. She denied Mavis Owusu on more than one occasion and responded sharply to second-half efforts from Deng Mengye and Kim Hye-ri, showing resilience and composure under pressure.
One of East Bengal’s best chances came in the closing stages when Soumya slipped through Sushmit Lepcha’s ball, but the finish let them down and summed 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 defeat against Uzbekistan’s PFC Nasaf in their final group game on November 23. With their defensive commitment and flashes of attacking intent, East Bengal will look to regroup quickly and keep their continental hopes alive.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
November 20, 2025
