East Bengal reach AFC Women’s Champions League quarter-finals despite 2-0 loss to April 4.25 SC

East Bengal FC qualified for the quarter-finals of the AFC Women’s Champions League 2026-27 despite losing 0-2 to April 4.25 SC at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday, November 7, 2026, in their final Group B match. The defeat did not prevent East Bengal from advancing from the group stage as one of the competition’s best third-placed teams.

April 4.25 SC finished top of Group B with nine points, Hwacheon KSPO WFC were second on six, and East Bengal progressed as one of the two best third-placed teams across the three groups. East Bengal’s earlier 2-1 victory over Ho Chi Minh City WFC proved decisive in securing their place in the knockout phase, which is scheduled for March 27-28, 2027. The draw for the knockout stage will take place at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur on December 3.

April 4.25 opened the scoring inside two minutes when Pak Ok-i delivered a cross from the right that Han Jin-hong nodded home. East Bengal were under early pressure and saw another 4.25 opportunity in the 22nd minute when Ok-i’s delivery found Ri Su-yang, whose header went wide while East Bengal goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu Elangbam remained on her line.

In the 29th minute Ok-i again supplied a dangerous ball, this time to Jong Pom-hui, whose header struck the post. The second goal arrived two minutes of first-half added time after Pom-hui’s free-kick created confusion in East Bengal’s penalty area; Jong Pok-yong collected the loose ball and set up Oh Sol-song, who finished into the bottom corner.

Five minutes after the interval Panthoi was required to tip away a curling free-kick from Jong Ryong-jong, denying 4.25 a third goal. In the 68th minute Oh rose highest to meet Myong Yu-jong’s cross but headed over the bar, and East Bengal’s late switch to a more attacking approach failed to produce a goal against a compact 4.25 defence.

East Bengal will enter the knockout draw unseeded as the Moshal Girls and could be drawn away to one of three potential opponents: defending champions and Group A toppers Naegohyang Women’s FC of DPR Korea, Group C toppers PFC Nasaf of Uzbekistan, or the best second-placed side Melbourne City FC, an Australia-based team.

East Bengal’s next continental match is scheduled for either March 27 or 28, 2027, in the quarter-finals, while their domestic campaign in the Indian Women’s League begins on 13th November when they face Gokulam Kerala FC at the Kalyani Stadium in West Bengal.