Football

East Bengal FC's AFC Champions League campaign came to an abrupt end on Wednesday as they succumbed to a 2-3 defeat against Turkmenistan's Altyn Asyr FC in the AFC Champions League Two Preliminary Stage in Kolkata. The Kolkata giants will now compete in the AFC Challenge League Group Stage.Despite a promising start, East Bengal found themselves trailing 2-1 at halftime. Altyn Asyr FC, fielding a team without any foreign players, equalized through Myrat Annayev's volley in the 17th minute. Nurmyradov Selim's free-kick gave the visitors the lead 11 minutes later.East Bengal's hopes of a comeback were further dented when Mihail Titov extended Altyn Asyr FC's lead to 3-1 in the second half. Saul Crespo pulled one back for the hosts in the 59th minute, but it proved to be a mere consolation.East Bengal's early exit from the AFC Champions League is a disappointment for the club and its fans. The Kolkata giants had hoped to make a deep run in the competition, but they were ultimately outplayed by a determined Altyn Asyr FC side.Altyn Asyr FC, on the other hand, will be delighted with their victory. The Turkmen champions showed great resilience and quality to overcome East Bengal's early lead and secure a place in the next round of the AFC Champions League.

East Bengal FC, a storied Indian football club, is poised to make its long-awaited return to the international stage when it hosts Turkmenistan's Altyn-Asyr FC in the AFC Champions League Two (ACL Two) Preliminary 1 tie at the Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday.After a six-year absence from continental club competitions, East Bengal is eager to qualify for the group stage of ACL Two. The Kolkata-based club has not played in any international tournament since the 2014-15 season.East Bengal will be counting on the vociferous support of its home crowd as it looks to overcome the challenge of the formidable Turkmenistani opponent. The Red and Golds will be hoping that the team will raise its performance under the guidance of Carles Cuadrat, the Spanish head coach who is rebuilding the side."Clearly we are the underdogs but we will fight and hope that the crowd helps us in our stadium," said Cuadrat. "I am a very pragmatic coach and know what I am doing. Altyn Asyr was a very tough team for us when Bengaluru FC played them in 2018. They won 5-2 against us in two legs. Plus this will be a first match for a lot of our players in an AFC competition and they have many players who have played over 20 games," he added.East Bengal, which has started the season winning both its Durand Cup group league matches, will be looking to continue the momentum against Altyn-Asyr. A win will definitely boost the Red and Golds spirit ahead of a long season.Being runners-up in the Turkmenistan Higher League in 2023, Altyn-Asyr will be looking to come up with its best and find a place in the group stage. The Turkmenistani club has a strong track record in continental competitions, having reached the AFC Cup semifinals in 2018.The match is expected to be a close and exciting affair, with both teams eager to make a statement in the competition. East Bengal will be hoping to use its home advantage to its advantage, while Altyn-Asyr will be looking to prove that it is a force to be reckoned with.