East Bengal Women beat odds to reach AWCL knockouts despite 0-2 loss to 4.25 SC

East Bengal FC Women lost 0-2 to DPR Korea’s 4.25 SC at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday, November 7, 2026, in their final Group B fixture of the 2026-27 AFC Women’s Champions League, yet became the first Indian club to advance to the competition’s knockout stage.

4.25 SC topped Group B with nine points while Korea Republic’s Hwacheon KSPO WFC finished on six points. East Bengal progressed as one of the two best third-placed teams across the three groups, ending the group stage with one win from three matches and a goal difference of -4; their 2-1 victory over Ho Chi Minh City WFC in the opening fixture proved decisive. The Red & Gold had narrowly missed out on a quarter-final place last season due to an inferior goal difference.

The North Korean side struck early when Han Jin Hong scored in the second minute, and Oh Sol Song doubled the lead in the 43rd minute to make it 2-0 before half-time. The early setback and the second-half scoreline left East Bengal unable to overturn the deficit, handing Anthony Andrews’ team their second defeat of the group stage.

4.25 SC combined forward intent with a compact defensive shape that limited East Bengal’s attacking opportunities throughout the match. The Moshal Girls were unable to convert the chances they created into goals, a shortcoming noted alongside their defensive lapses.

The match report flagged several areas for improvement that Andrews must address ahead of the quarter-finals, including finishing, midfield control and defensive organisation. It recommended reducing reliance on long-ball tactics, introducing alternative attacking strategies and improving the team’s build-up play, set-piece handling, responses to counter-attacks and defending against overlapping runs.

The analysis also singled out personnel issues cited in the source: an over-reliance on Fazila Ikwaput in attack and a need for better support from forwards Olivia and Sulanjana, while captain Shilky Devi Hemam was urged to take greater initiative. Players named as possible additional options were Soumya Guguloth, Priyangka Devi and Sathi Debnath, who the report suggested could offer tactical flexibility.

The quarter-final draw will be held at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur on December 3; East Bengal will be unseeded and could face Naegohyang Women’s FC of DPR Korea, Group C winners PFC Nasaf of Uzbekistan, or Melbourne City FC of Australia. The knockout-stage matches are scheduled for March 27 and 28, 2027.