Three Indian players to watch as East Bengal begin AFC Champions League Two campaign
East Bengal will begin their 2026-27 AFC Champions League Two campaign on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, with an away group-stage opener against Jordan’s Al-Hussein SC. Coach Antonio Habas is expected to place significant responsibility on Indian players Jesin TK, Prabhsukhan Gill and Anwar Ali as the Red & Gold Brigade step into continental competition.
East Bengal reached the ACL Two group stage after a qualification victory and enter the tournament following a Durand Cup-winning run that included a 4-1 win over Mohun Bagan. Habas has assembled a strong squad but, despite there being no notable cap on foreign players in the competition, he is unlikely to field more than five foreigners at once, placing added emphasis on domestic personnel. The club anticipates facing sustained pressure in many group matches and will need collective defensive organisation to cope with tougher Asian opposition.
Jesin TK, 26, has broken into the senior team under Habas after years in the club system and impressed in the qualifier against Al-Arabi SC by troubling defenders with his speed and off-the-ball movement. Habas appears prepared to increase Jesin’s minutes in the group stage, but the striker must improve the accuracy of his final passes and become more clinical in front of goal to maximise his impact. If he sharpens his final third output, Jesin’s movement and propensity to drop into space offer East Bengal an avenue to unsettle opposition defences and exploit counter-attacking situations.
Prabhsukhan Gill has produced a promising start to the 2026-27 season, shining during East Bengal’s Durand Cup triumph and playing a key role in qualification for the ACL Two. The arrival of Phurba Lachenpa has reportedly driven Gill to further levels of performance, and he is likely to be East Bengal’s first-choice goalkeeper for the continental fixtures. Gill will be relied upon for shot-stopping, collecting crosses and releasing accurate passes quickly to initiate counter-attacks while maintaining consistency to help the team absorb pressure.
Anwar Ali is expected to marshal East Bengal’s defence when the team faces stronger Asian opponents and has prior experience against foreign sides at club and international level. His responsibilities include enforcing a compact defensive shape, organising colleagues to mark opposition forwards tightly and producing decisive tackles and clearances inside the penalty area. Consistent, commanding displays from Anwar will be central to East Bengal’s ability to frustrate opponents and earn points in the group stage.
Squad availability and form add further context: East Bengal’s recent Durand Cup success featured Edmund Lalrindika scoring a hat-trick in the final against Mohun Bagan, and the side face selection challenges after visa issues for Effiong Nsungusi and the late arrival of new striker Ake. For the opener Habas will also rely on players such as Hardik Bhatt, Jay Gupta, Mohammed Rashid, Jeakson Singh, Bipin Singh, Dani Ramirez and Chris Ikonomidis, with Ikonomidis the only foreign forward available for the Al-Hussein match.
East Bengal will meet Al-Hussein SC on Wednesday, 16 September 2026 in their opening AFC Champions League Two group-stage fixture; the likely starting XI named by the club is: Prabhsukhan Gill; Hardik Bhatt, Anwar Ali, Diego Zivulic, Jay Gupta; Mohammed Rashid, Jeakson Singh; Bipin Singh, Dani Ramirez, Chris Ikonomidis; Edmund Lalrindika.