Hwacheon KSPO down East Bengal 4-1 in AFC Women’s Champions League group stage
Hwacheon KSPO WFC defeated Indian Women’s League champions East Bengal FC 4-1 in an AFC Women’s Champions League 2026-27 group-stage match on Wednesday, November 4 at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. East Bengal took an early lead through Fazila Ikwaput but conceded three second-half goals as Hwacheon secured the win.
East Bengal opened the scoring when Fazila Ikwaput netted in the 17th minute, having been set up by captain Shilky Hemam’s pass and capitalising on Astam Oraon’s clearance; the Ugandan forward had scored twice against Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC on Sunday. Hwacheon levelled before half-time when Lee Su-bin’s second free-kick in the 26th minute deflected off Resty Nanziri and rolled past goalkeeper Elangbam Panthoi to make it 1-1 at the break. The visitors then produced three unanswered goals after the interval to complete the 4-1 victory and moved to three points, the same total as East Bengal in the group.
Hwacheon threatened early in the match with Choi Jeong-min firing a half-volley wide and later seeing a header kept out by Elangbam Panthoi, while Lee Su-bin turned Astam Oraon before sending a shot over. East Bengal came close in the 15th minute when Shilky Hemam released Fazila Ikwaput through on goal, but the forward rushed her attempt and missed until her 17th-minute rebound put the hosts ahead.
The equaliser arrived in the 26th minute after Lee Su-bin’s initial free-kick struck the defensive wall; her follow-up effort took a deflection off Resty Nanziri and slipped past Panthoi. The first half ended 1-1, leaving the tie poised going into the second period.
Early in the second half there was a flurry of chances, with Hitomi Tanaka and Fazila Ikwaput both testing efforts from distance that went wide and Jeong-min seeing a strike saved by Panthoi. Hwacheon then took the lead in the 53rd minute through Wie Jae-eun after a Football Video Support request from head coach Kang Sun-mi following Jeong-min’s trip by Tanaka.
Three minutes after that decision Jeong-min broke free on the left and supplied a cross for Mun Eun-ju to sweep home, and Wie added a third for Hwacheon in the 76th minute by running on to Kim Hyeon-a’s through ball and slotting past Panthoi to seal the 4-1 result.
Both teams sit on three points in the group, with deciding fixtures on Saturday seeing Hwacheon face Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC and East Bengal meeting DPR Korea’s 4.25 SC, who have already secured one of the two automatic qualification spots.
