East Bengal to host Al‑Seeb in AFC Champions League Two group match at Salt Lake Stadium on Nov 3
East Bengal FC will host Oman's Al-Seeb at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) in Kolkata on Tuesday, 3 November 2026 in an AFC Champions League Two 2026-27 group stage match, kick-off 7:15 PM IST. Neither side has recorded a victory in the group to date.
East Bengal arrive having taken one loss and two draws from their three group matches so far, a sequence manager Antonio Habas wants his players to rectify with more ruthlessness. The club have shown resilience but have left points on the table after missing clear opportunities, so Habas is expected to emphasise winning duels, defensive compactness and greater cutting edge in attack. A victory would materially improve East Bengal's chances of finishing in the top two of the group, while another slip would harm their hopes of reaching the knockout phase.
Al-Seeb sit on one point from three matches and have yet to score in the competition, a run described in the build-up as underperforming. The Oman side will need to reproduce the defensive solidity they showed in their previous meeting with East Bengal if they are to frustrate the hosts, while significantly improving creativity and finishing in the final third. A positive result would provide momentum for Al-Seeb; a defeat would all but end their prospects of advancing from the group.
East Bengal are expected to be without Naorem Mahesh Singh and Mohamed Rakip through injury. The likely starting XI named for East Bengal is: Prabhsukhan Gill (GK), Hardik Bhatt, Diego Zivulic, Anwar Ali, Jay Gupta, Jeakson Singh, Mohammed Rashid, Udanta Singh, Edmund Lalrindika, Dani Ramirez, Ake Loba. Al-Seeb are projected to field the following XI and are reported to have the same squad available as in their previous clash: Muatsim Al Wahaibi (GK), Hassan Al Ajmi, Majid Al Saadi, Mohammed Al Musalami, Ali Al Busaidi, Mulham Al Sinaidi, Fahad Khamis, Zahir Al Aghbari, Abdul Al Maqbali, Abdul Al Balushi, Axel Meye.
Edmund Lalrindika has started all three of East Bengal's group matches but has struggled to convert chances, though he produced a few promising moments in the recent draw with Al-Seeb. The report urges Lalrindika to improve his positioning and anticipation to get on the end of opportunities and to be more efficient with his finishing to better test opposing goalkeepers.
Axel Meye, who joined Al-Seeb in the 2026 summer transfer window, has yet to have a decisive impact for his new club according to the preview. The 31-year-old's past clubs cited in the piece are Paris FC and Raja Casablanca, and the assessment calls for Meye to be more proactive off the ball and to add greater accuracy in shooting and chance creation to lift Al-Seeb's attack.
The group stage fixture kicks off at 7:15 PM IST on Tuesday, 3 November 2026 at the Salt Lake Stadium and will be available to watch live on FanCode, with tickets obtainable via the District India booking link referenced in the match promotion. A win for East Bengal would strengthen their bid for a top-two finish in the group, while another reverse for Al-Seeb would effectively end their hopes of progressing.