A truly hard-fought contest: East Bengal play out a goalless draw against Al-Seeb
Yet, the East Bengal–Al Seeb clash ended goalless, although there were chances at both ends and either team could have found the net. The draw has complicated matters for both sides.
XtraTime Newsdesk
It was a closely fought contest, with both teams matching each other stride for stride. Based on their performances in their respective matches, Al Shorta appeared to be a slightly better side than Oman’s Al Seeb. Yet, the East Bengal–Al Seeb clash ended goalless, although there were chances at both ends and either team could have found the net. The draw has complicated matters for both sides. East Bengal now have three points from three matches. The Red and Gold Brigade had taken the field in what was a must-win encounter, hoping to become the first Indian club to register a victory in the AFC Champions League Two. For now, that dream remains unfulfilled.
Al Seeb made a positive start, forcing Lalchungnunga into an early save. However, after around 15 minutes, East Bengal began to take control of the match. Habas’s tactical decision to deploy Rashid and Jeakson as a double pivot in front of the defence worked well, helping the Red and Gold Brigade gain control of the midfield.
Dani Ramirez was outstanding, with almost every creative move originating from his feet. Al Seeb’s defence struggled to contain both Dani and Edmund. Had David been able to match their intensity, or had Jeakson’s distribution been a little more accurate, East Bengal might have found a way through.
Habas could have brought on Loba for David at half-time. Perhaps he kept David on the pitch because of his understanding with Edmund. Nevertheless, the question remains whether the East Bengal coach delayed the substitution for too long.
At the other end, Al Seeb exploited the space between East Bengal’s midfield and defence with some excellent long, lofted passes. Jivulic and Anwar had their work cut out trying to deal with the threat. However, Al Seeb lacked creativity in the final third, which prevented them from making the most of their opportunities. Despite that, both teams managed to create a few chances.
David combined with a teammate inside the box before getting a shot away, but the effort was too weak to trouble the Al Seeb goalkeeper. Towards the end of the first half, Bipin had a relatively easy ball to work with but took too long to turn, allowing the opportunity to slip away.
Early in the second half, Bipin unleashed a superb effort that came back off the crossbar. At the other end, Al Seeb’s Hassan Ahmed saw his long-range shot strike the post and rebound into play. Lalchungnunga then produced an outstanding save to deny the opposition.
Al Seeb’s high-profile striker also had an opportunity but fired wide from a difficult angle. East Bengal looked a little tired towards the closing stages, and Al Seeb took advantage, launching several dangerous attacks.
Chances came for both sides, but neither could make the breakthrough in the final third. East Bengal, in particular, complicated matters by attempting too many short passes in tight spaces. Habas eventually switched to Plan B, bringing on Rohit Kumar and Sandeep Mandi. However, the changes failed to produce the desired result, as East Bengal had to settle for a goalless draw.