East Bengal began its AFC Women’s Champions League Group B campaign with a commanding 3-1 win over Iran’s Bam Khatoon at the Hankou Cultural Sports Centre in Wuhan.
Shilky Hemam, Fazila Ikwaput, and Resty Nanziri scored to give the Red and Golds a crucial opening victory.
The match started brightly for East Bengal. In the fourth minute, Hemam struck from the edge of the box after Ikwaput’s efforts were blocked. The early breakthrough allowed the Indian side to control possession and dictate the tempo. Bam Khatoon responded with long-range attempts from Sara Didar and Fatemeh Geraeli, but they failed to trouble goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu.
East Bengal doubled its lead in the 32nd minute when Amnah Nababi delivered a precise pass to Ikwaput, who calmly finished past Raha Yazdani. Just before halftime, Bam Khatoon pulled one back through Mona Hamoudi’s penalty after a Jyoti Chouhan handball.
The Iranian side showed more intent in the second half, but their efforts from distance lacked conviction. East Bengal regained control late in the game. Ikwaput hit the post in the 79th minute and forced Yazdani into a save soon after. Nanziri sealed the result in the 87th minute with a stunning long-range strike that dipped over the goalkeeper.
Coach Anthony Andrews will now prepare his side for the next Group B fixtures against China’s Wuhan Jiangda on November 20 and Uzbekistan’s Nasaf on November 23. With the top two teams qualifying directly for the quarterfinals, East Bengal’s strong start boosts its chances of progressing further in the competition.
