East Bengal FC Women achieved a historic milestone in Indian football on Saturday, becoming the first women’s club from the country to qualify for the quarterfinals of the AFC Women’s Champions League (AWCL). The Kolkata side secured its place in the knockout stage despite losing 0-2 to North Korea’s April 25 SC in its final Group B match.
The result was enough for the Red and Gold brigade to progress as the second-best third-placed team across the three groups, marking a significant achievement for Indian women’s club football.
East Bengal faced a difficult challenge against a dominant April 25 SC side, which wasted little time in taking control of the contest.
The North Korean outfit opened the scoring in just the second minute when Han Jin-Hong found the net with a header, putting East Bengal under immediate pressure.
April 25 SC continued to dictate proceedings, enjoying the majority of possession and repeatedly testing the East Bengal defence. However, goalkeeper Elangbam Panthoi Chanu delivered an impressive performance, making two crucial saves to prevent further damage.
The visitors eventually doubled their advantage in the 43rd minute through Oh Sol-Song, whose powerful long-range strike gave April 25 SC a comfortable 2-0 lead before halftime.
The North Korean side dominated the opening half with 70 percent possession and eight attempts on goal, while East Bengal managed only two.
Despite trailing by two goals, East Bengal remained firmly in the qualification race.
Having entered the match with a goal difference of minus two, the Moshal Girls needed to avoid losing by more than three goals to keep their quarterfinal hopes alive.
Their qualification prospects were also influenced by results elsewhere in the competition.
South Korea’s Hwacheon KSPO WFC had earlier defeated Ho Chi Minh City WFC 3-1 to secure second place in Group B.
Meanwhile, Myanmar’s Ayeyawady Women’s FC had completed its Group A campaign with three points and a goal difference of minus six. Three teams in Group C had finished with six points each.
Knowing the importance of limiting the damage, East Bengal displayed greater defensive resilience after the interval.
The Kolkata side successfully kept April 25 SC from scoring again, ensuring the match ended 2-0 and preserving its place among the two best third-placed teams.
April 25 SC finished its group campaign with a perfect nine points from three victories, but East Bengal had an equally important reason to celebrate.
The final whistle confirmed a landmark achievement for the Moshal Girls, whose historic qualification has opened a new chapter for Indian women’s football on the continental stage.
