East Bengal Begin AFC Champions League Two Campaign on Wednesday, Habas Eyes Winning Momentum
East Bengal will begin their AFC Champions League Two campaign on Wednesday when they take on Jordanian club Al Hussein in their opening group-stage match. It is a historic occasion for the Red and Gold brigade, who are making their first appearance in the competition and are eager to make an impression against one of Asia’s strong sides.
Xtratime Webdesk: East Bengal will begin their AFC Champions League Two campaign on Wednesday when they take on Jordanian club Al Hussein in their opening group-stage match. It is a historic occasion for the Red and Gold brigade, who are making their first appearance in the competition and are eager to make an impression against one of Asia’s strong sides.
Making their debut in the competition, East Bengal are heading into the game high on confidence after an impressive run over the past two months. They secured their place in the group stage with a commanding 4-1 victory over Kuwait’s Al Arabi in the qualifying playoff before producing another statement win against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan, beating them 4-1 in the Durand Cup final.
Now, coach Habas will be hoping his side can carry that momentum into continental football. But there is one major concern ahead of the clash, i.e, Mohammed Rashid’s fitness. The midfielder has been struggling with a back injury and has missed several training sessions. He missed two to three days of training but returned to practice in Jordan after receiving an injection. The club is making every effort to get him on the pitch, although he is still not fully fit. This leaves Habas with a major selection dilemma.
Apart from Rashid’s fitness, the team of Habas is ready, starting with Prabhsukhan Singh Gill expected to start in goal, with Hardik Bhatt, Anwar Ali, Diego Zivulic and Jay Gupta likely to form the defensive unit. Mohammad Rashid, Jeakson Singh, Bipin Singh, Dani Ramirez and Chris Ikonomidis are expected to feature as midfielders, while Edmund Lalrindika could lead the attack.
This will be the first-ever meeting between East Bengal and Al Hussein, adding another layer of significance to the occasion. After two emphatic 4-1 victories, East Bengal arrive in Jordan with confidence flowing through the camp. The challenge now is to turn that domestic momentum into a strong start on the Asian stage.
