East Bengal Lose 0-2 to Al Seeb in AFC Champions League 2

East Bengal suffered a damaging 0-2 defeat against Oman’s Al Seeb Club in their fourth AFC Champions League 2 group-stage match at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Tuesday. Two late goals from Axel Meye and Zahir Al Aghbari handed the visitors all three points and pushed the Indian Super League champions to the bottom of Group D.

The result dealt a major blow to East Bengal’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage. The Red and Golds remain on two points after four matches, while Al Seeb moved into third place with four points. After a goalless first half and several missed opportunities at both ends, the Omani side found its breakthrough in the closing stages.

Meye opened the scoring with an impressive finish in the 85th minute before Al Aghbari completed the victory in the first minute of stoppage time. The two goals punished East Bengal for failing to convert their chances and left the home side with another disappointing result in the continental competition.

East Bengal start strongly but fail to convert early chances

East Bengal began the match on the front foot and looked determined to make the most of their home advantage. Bipin Singh Thounaojam had an opportunity to put the hosts ahead in the fourth minute, but his effort from the edge of the penalty area went wide.

The home side continued to create attacking opportunities through quick passing combinations. Captain Mohammed Rashid played an important role in building attacks, while Dani Ramírez came close to scoring after a neat move involving the East Bengal players. His low attempt narrowly missed the target.

East Bengal’s attacking momentum suffered a setback in the 17th minute when defender Anwar Ali was forced to leave the field due to injury. Despite losing an important defensive player, the hosts continued to press forward and looked for an opening goal.

Edmund Lalrindika threatened the Al Seeb defence, while Ramírez came close again when he headed Bipin’s cross narrowly wide. The home team had opportunities to take control of the match but could not find the finishing touch.

Al Seeb create chances before half-time

Al Seeb gradually settled into the contest after the opening half-hour and began finding more space in East Bengal’s defensive area. Their first significant opportunity came through Abdul Aziz Al Maqbali, whose through ball released Meye inside the penalty box.

The Gabonese forward attempted a low shot, but East Bengal goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa was positioned well and made a comfortable save. The chance served as a warning for the hosts as Al Seeb began to build more dangerous attacks.

East Bengal responded by pushing forward again, with Ramírez receiving a cross from Lalrindika in the 39th minute. However, after controlling the ball, the attacking midfielder dragged his shot wide of the far post.

Both sides went into the half-time break without scoring. East Bengal had enjoyed promising spells in the opening period, but their inability to turn possession and chances into goals kept Al Seeb firmly in the contest.

Al Seeb return stronger after the break

The visitors looked more organised and energetic at the start of the second half. Meye had another opportunity in the 49th minute after Mohammed Al Musalami provided a layoff from a corner, but his header sailed just over the crossbar.

East Bengal attempted to respond through Lalrindika in the 55th minute. The forward met Sandip Mandi’s cross with a header, but his effort narrowly missed the target. Augustine Oladapo also tried his luck from distance, although he could not direct his shot on target.

As the match progressed, Al Seeb began looking increasingly dangerous in the final third. Their attacking pressure created problems for East Bengal’s defence, while the hosts struggled to regain the control they had shown during the early stages.

In the 76th minute, Omer Al Malki came close to giving the visitors the lead. His effort from inside the six-yard box forced Lachenpa into a sharp reflex save. Al Malki then had another opportunity from the rebound, but his follow-up attempt went narrowly wide of the left post.

The missed chances did not discourage Al Seeb, who continued searching for a breakthrough as East Bengal attempted to protect their goal.

Axel Meye breaks the deadlock in the 85th minute

Al Seeb’s persistence finally paid off in the 85th minute when Meye produced a decisive moment of individual quality. Hassan Al Ajmi recovered the ball and played it back into Meye’s path, allowing the forward to take on his marker.

Meye turned past the defender before unleashing a powerful drive towards goal. Lachenpa was unable to stop the effort, and the ball found the back of the net to give the visitors a crucial 1-0 advantage.

The late goal put East Bengal under immediate pressure. With time running out, the home side needed to find an equaliser to avoid defeat, while Al Seeb gained confidence from taking the lead.

Zahir Al Aghbari seals Al Seeb’s 2-0 victory

East Bengal’s hopes of rescuing a point were ended in the first minute of stoppage time when Al Seeb scored their second goal. Meye played a long cross from the left, which was collected by Zahir Al Aghbari during a counter-attacking move.

Al Aghbari finished the opportunity with a well-placed shot into the bottom-right corner, making it 2-0 and securing the victory for the Omani club.

The two late goals changed the outcome of a match that had remained goalless for more than 80 minutes. East Bengal had created opportunities during the first half and after the interval, but Al Seeb proved more clinical when their decisive chances arrived.

East Bengal slip to bottom of AFC Champions League 2 Group D

The defeat leaves East Bengal at the bottom of Group D with just two points from four matches. Their position makes the remaining group-stage fixtures increasingly important as they attempt to keep their hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds alive.

Al Seeb, meanwhile, moved to third place with four points following their victory in Kolkata. The result gives the Omani side an important boost as the group-stage competition approaches its final matches.

For East Bengal, the biggest concern will be their inability to turn promising attacking moves into goals. They created several chances against Al Seeb but failed to make them count, while the visitors took advantage of opportunities in the closing minutes.

East Bengal’s remaining AFC Champions League 2 fixtures

East Bengal will next face Al Hussein SC in Kolkata on November 24. The match will be an important opportunity for the Red and Golds to respond after their home defeat and collect points in the remaining group-stage campaign.

The Indian side will then travel to Iraq to take on Al Shorta on December 8 in their final group-stage fixture. With only two points from four matches, East Bengal will need strong performances in both games to improve their position in Group D.

The 0-2 loss to Al Seeb has made their route to the knockout stage more difficult. East Bengal must now address their finishing problems and defensive lapses if they are to end their continental campaign on a positive note.