East Bengal’s hopes of progressing in the AFC Challenge League took a hit after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Turkmenistan’s FK Arkadag in the home leg of their quarterfinal clash at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday.
The visitors grabbed the vital advantage thanks to a 10th-minute strike from Yazgylych Gurbanov, leaving East Bengal with an uphill task when they travel to Turkmenistan for the second leg on March 12.
Despite enjoying more possession and control in midfield, East Bengal’s inability to break down Arkadag’s compact defensive setup ultimately proved costly. The early goal, scored against the run of play, forced the home side to chase the game, but their efforts were met with stiff resistance from the well-organised Arkadag defence.
The decisive moment came when Arkadag capitalised on a quick counterattack. East Bengal centre-back Hector Yuste’s clearance was intercepted by Arkadag winger Tirkishov Shanazar, who wasted no time in setting up Gurbanov. Left unmarked just outside the box, Gurbanov unleashed a low, powerful strike that nestled into the bottom left corner, leaving East Bengal goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Gill with no chance.
The goal silenced the majority of the 20,000 fans who had gathered in support of the home side, but East Bengal refused to give up. The Red and Gold Brigade launched wave after wave of attacks, particularly in the second half, but found clear-cut chances hard to come by against Arkadag’s deep defensive block.
East Bengal’s forward trio of Raphael Messi Bouli, Richard Celis, and Saul Crespo each had opportunities to draw the hosts level, but their finishing lacked precision. Arkadag’s defensive discipline, combined with timely clearances and tactical fouls, ensured that East Bengal was repeatedly frustrated in the final third.
Arkadag nearly doubled their lead in the 71st minute, with Gurbanov again at the centre of the action. His close-range effort was brilliantly saved by Prabhsukhan Gill, who showed excellent reflexes to keep East Bengal’s hopes alive ahead of the second leg.
The narrow defeat leaves East Bengal with no margin for error when they travel to Arkadag next week. The Indian side will need to produce a much sharper attacking display and find a way past a resilient Arkadag defence if they hope to overturn the deficit and keep their continental dreams alive.
Result:
Quarterfinal, First Leg: East Bengal FC 0 lost to FK Arkadag 1 (Yazgylych Gurbanov 10′)
