Al-Shorta rally to beat East Bengal 3-2 in AFC Champions League Two Group D
Al Shorta came from behind to beat East Bengal FC 3-2 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in a Group D AFC Champions League Two 2026-27 match on Tuesday, with David Lalhlansanga scoring both first-half goals for the hosts. Ahmed Yahya, Hussein Al Saedi and Kingsley Kuku replied for the Iraqi visitors to secure the win.
East Bengal opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Lalhlansanga collected a Hardik Bhatt pass from the right and turned the ball past Jalal Hassan. Al Shorta equalised six minutes later after Ruben Ramírez’s looping cut-back found Yahya, whose downward header bounced once and past a rooted Prabhsukhan Singh. In the 21st minute Hassan denied Lal Chungnunga’s 35-yard effort with an instinctive one-handed parry and then kept out Lalhlansanga’s half-volley on the follow-up.
Five minutes before half-time captain Basim Rashid, picking up Hasan’s block from a Daniel Ramirez free-kick, back-heeled from the byline to an unmarked Lalhlansanga, who drove the ball from close range into an empty net to restore East Bengal’s lead. Al Shorta responded early in the second half; they levelled after six minutes when Yayha worked down the left and squared to Al Saedi to tap in from inside the six-yard box.
The visitors went ahead for the first time in the 53rd minute when Kuku’s thumping header from a corner ricocheted off Prabhsukhan’s arm and into the net, a sequence that handed Sami Trabelsi’s side their second win in the competition. East Bengal threatened a response: Hassan produced two point-blank saves in the 67th minute from Edmund Lalrindika and Lalhlansanga as the hosts pressed for an equaliser.
Al Shorta were reduced to 10 men in the 76th minute when Abdoul Moumouni received a second yellow for a tackle on Jay Gupta, and Kuku had a strike ruled offside on the dot of regulation time. Despite the numerical advantage, East Bengal were unable to convert chances and missed the opportunity to register a first win in the group.
East Bengal, who had drawn 2-2 against Al Hussein SC on the first matchday, remain third in Group D with one point. They will next play Al Seeb Club in Oman on October 27.