Arkadag [Turkmenistan], March 12 (ANI): Ten-man East Bengal FC fought valiantly against FC Arkadag in the second leg of the AFC Challenge League quarterfinal but ultimately succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at Arkadag Stadium in Turkmenistan on Wednesday, according to the official website of ISL.
The Red and Gold Brigade, having suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat in the first leg in Kolkata, bowed out of the continental tournament with a 3-1 aggregate loss.
Oscar Bruzon’s men started the game on a high, breaking the deadlock in the first minute through Raphael Messi Bouli. The goal came from a well-worked free-kick routine, where Bouli and Dimitrios Diamantakos combined effectively in attack, allowing the Cameroonian to level the tie with a simple tap-in.
The Indian Super League (ISL) side created several chances in the first half but lacked precision in the final third. Richard Celis squandered a golden opportunity in the 17th minute when Diamantakos’s powerful strike rattled the post and fell kindly for him, but the Venezuelan forward failed to open his East Bengal FC account.
Despite their early lead, the Red and Gold Brigade suffered a major setback when Lalchungnunga was sent off in the 33rd minute after receiving his second yellow card. The defender, who had already been booked in the 11th minute, was shown red following a reckless challenge on an FC Arkadag forward.
Down to ten men, East Bengal FC managed to hold onto their slender one-goal advantage going into halftime. However, the hosts mounted a strong comeback in the second half, delivering a resilient performance on home turf with two late goals to secure a crucial victory in the knockout fixture.
With a numerical disadvantage, East Bengal FC remained compact in transitions, frustrating FC Arkadag’s attacking moves. The hosts, however, dominated possession and gradually controlled the tempo of the game. Celis got another golden opportunity to extend the lead in the 52nd minute but failed to make proper contact with his header to meet a perfectly placed cross from Diamantakos.
In the 75th minute, FC Arkadag won a free kick just outside the East Bengal FC box, but Samammet Hydyrow’s direct effort was expertly tipped over by Prabhsukhan Singh Gill.
The hosts were awarded a penalty in the 87th minute after Souvik Chakrabarti brought down Tirkishov inside the box. Annadurdiyev stepped up and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner, leaving Gill with no chance.
FC Arkadag then slowed the tempo, preventing East Bengal FC from mounting any meaningful attacks. In the 90th minute, Bruzon made a double substitution, bringing on Cleiton Silva and David Lalhlansanga for Mohammad Rakip and Chakrabarti to add attacking options.
However, Annadurdiyev struck again in the dying moments of second-half stoppage time, capitalizing on East Bengal FC’s defensive lapses to seal FC Arkadag’s victory.
After losing both legs to the Turkmenistan side, East Bengal FC bowed out of the AFC Challenge League, bringing a disappointing end to their continental campaign. (ANI)
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