After narrowly missing the quarter-finals last season, East Bengal Women aim for a winning start on home soil against reigning Vietnamese champions Ho Chi Minh City, despite limited competitive match practice.
Kolkata, October 31: The wait for another continental challenge is over for East Bengal FC Women, but their return to the AFC Women’s Champions League comes with a challenging opening assignment. Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City Women stand between the Moshal Girls and a winning start, with the two teams set to meet at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan on Sunday at 8:00 PM.
For Indian women’s football, the competition carries significance beyond the opening fixture. India will host the AFC Women’s Champions League for the first time.
East Bengal Women’s enter the competition with the experience of last season behind them, when they finished third in their group, narrowly missing out on a place in the quarter-finals just with goal diffrence. This time, head coach Anthony Andrews wants his players to make better use of that experience, although the lack of competitive football remains a concern, though after a dominating qualifiers campaign the tempo should be high.
The contrast in preparation between the two sides is evident. Ho Chi Minh City have just completed their domestic league campaign securing the championship, whereas the new Indian Women’s League season is yet to begin. East Bengal Women’s have had to rely on training sessions and friendly matches to maintain their rhythm after their preliminary-stage fixtures in August.
Anthony Andrews did not hide away from acknowledging the disadvantage but insisted that his team had done what was possible within the circumstances.
“Obviously, it’s a drawback for us that the league has not started. If that had been the case, we would have got at least some game time. However, whatever is in our control, we have made sure that we do it well. We have played friendly games, so we have done our job,” he said during the pre-match interaction.
Last season’s campaign, meanwhile, has given the coaching staff a clearer picture of what is required at this level. Anthony Andrews pointed to the speed of international football as one of the major differences and said the squad had been strengthened with several foreign recruits. Tactical preparation has also been a priority, with the team working to address the shortcomings exposed during their previous continental outing.
Playing in front of home supporters could offer East Bengal some encouragement, but even that advantage comes with a small complication, as the team had not managed a single training session at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan before the tournament, also the pre match session is going to happen in the club ground.
For midfielder Sathi Debnath, however, the venue brings back happier memories. The Bengal’s own shares a special connection with Kishore Bharati, where she celebrated her first trophy with East Bengal during the 2023 Kanyashree Cup. She will now look to create another memorable moment at the same ground, this time on the continental stage.
Anthony expressed the home supporters can play an important role in pushing the team through the contest and urged them to come out in large numbers.
“I humbly request all the fans to come in huge numbers and support these girls. If you all come, it will be an extra boost for the girls to push till the 90 minutes. And like I always say, if you guys come in huge numbers, we will make sure that when you go home, you smile,” The head coach stated.
The match will offer East Bengal Women’s an immediate measure of how far they have progressed since last season. Against a Ho Chi Minh City side arriving with the advantage of recent competitive action, the Moshal Girls will need to turn their preparation into a performance from the very first whistle.
Tomorrow’s clash will set the rhythm for East Bengal Women’s campaign, with the challenge extending beyond securing three points. Against an opponent arriving with greater competitive rhythm, the girls will have an early opportunity to measure its progress and establish its ambitions in Asia’s premier women’s club competition, as the other opponents are waiting too.
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