Hwacheon KSPO thrash East Bengal 4-1 in AWCL Group B at Kolkata
East Bengal lost 1-4 to Hwacheon KSPO WFC at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, in their second AFC Women’s Champions League 2026-27 group-stage match. Fazila Ikwaput opened the scoring for the hosts in the 17th minute but Hwacheon responded and scored three times after half-time to secure a 4-1 win.
East Bengal took an early lead when Fazila Ikwaput converted in the 17th minute, but Hwacheon KSPO levelled through Lee Su-bin in the 26th minute after a deflection off Resty Nanziri, sending the sides into the interval at 1-1. The visitors dominated the second half, scoring three goals while maintaining a compact defensive shape. East Bengal had beaten Ho Chi Minh City WFC in their opening AWCL fixture, leaving them still mathematically alive in the group despite the reverse. Head coach Anthony Andrews faces a final group match against DPR Korea’s 4.25 SC on November 7, 2026.
Defensive organisation was a primary concern for East Bengal as Hwacheon exploited gaps and pace throughout the game. The equaliser came from Lee Su-bin after a deflection, and the situation deteriorated after Japanese midfielder Hitomi Tanaka conceded a penalty that Wie Jae-eun converted to put the visitors ahead. Mun Eun-ju added a goal three minutes after the spot-kick, further exposing lapses in East Bengal’s defensive coordination.
Hwacheon increased their intensity and pressing after the break, repeatedly exploiting spaces behind East Bengal’s defenders with overlapping runs. The South Korean side’s second-half attacking approach allowed them to control possession and create sustained pressure, while East Bengal struggled to fashion meaningful chances and to retain midfield control.
Fazila Ikwaput provided one positive for East Bengal, scoring in the 17th minute after a pass from captain Shilky Devi Hemam and demonstrating pace and finishing in the final third. She missed subsequent opportunities to extend the lead, and the match underlined an over-reliance on her for goals, with teammates Olivia and Sulanjana unable to make significant attacking contributions.
Coach Anthony Andrews will be tasked with addressing the team’s defensive frailties and reconsidering attacking patterns ahead of the final group fixture. The report suggested that reliance on long-ball tactics may be ineffective against technically organised opponents and called for greater midfield responsibility for winning second balls and delivering accurate final passes. Soumya Guguloth, Priyangka Devi and Sathi Debnath were mentioned as potential options for the starting lineup.
According to the competition format, the three group winners, three runners-up and two best third-placed teams across the three groups will progress to the quarter-finals. East Bengal now have one win and one loss from two games, leaving them with three points, a goal differential of -2 and third place in Group B; 4.25 SC have already qualified after winning their first two games. East Bengal will play 4.25 SC at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan on November 7, 2026.
East Bengal’s final Group B fixture is scheduled for November 7, 2026 (Saturday) at 8:00 PM IST at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, and the club have described it as a crucial encounter in their bid to qualify for the AWCL quarter-finals.