East Bengal FC Crashes Out Of AFC Challenge League Semifinal Race After 1-2 Loss To FC Arkadag

India's premier football side, East Bengal FC, failed to move ahead in the AFC Challenge League competition after they were defeated by FC Arkadag in the quarterfinal stage at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. The Indian side was left with ten men on the field after Lalchungnunga was sent off by the match referee in the 33rd minute after facing a second yellow card offence for a foul on Yazgylych Gurbanov. Messi Bouli gave EBFC a lead in the play's first minute, but Arkadag's Altymyrat Annadurdyýew scored a late brace in minutes to seal themselves a spot in the semifinal with an aggregate of 3-1. The Oscar Bruzon-led side would be heartbroken after their loss despite having a decent run lately.

East Bengal Lose To FC Arkadag 1-2 In AFC Challenge League

The Oscar Bruzon-managed East Bengal FC qualified for the third tier of the AFC club competition after they won the 2024 Super Cup in Bhubaneswar. With seven points in the trot, they had topped Group A and made it to the quarterfinals.  

East Bengal's aim to get their dominance and form back heavily crashed after they crashed out of the AFC Challenge Cup. After finishing at the number ten spot in ISL, the Red and Gold brigade set their eyes on improving their performance and showcasing their charm and prowess against FC Arkadag. The loss at the hands of the Turkmenistan-based football club effectively ended their hopes of moving ahead in the AFC Challenge League.

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EBFC Showcase Resilience But FC Arkadag Still Stand Out

Despite losing the crucial match-up, East Bengal FC showed incredible resilience in the competition against FC Arkadag, as a lot of chances were made by the Indian football side. They had almost doubled their lead after Diamantakos pulled off a emphatic run in the middle with the ball, but he could not make the aim as the ball crashed to the post. The rebound attempt by Richard Celis also did not go his way.

FC Arkadag tried to get themselves back in the game after East Bengal has made an early score. Things looked very much in favour of the ISL side, but Annadurdyyev's perseverance and tenacity pulled off a miracle for the side after he converted from the spot after Sauvik Chakrabarti brought down Tirikishov.

FC Arkadag has successfully advanced into the competition while East Bengal would look to improve themselves in the time they have and not give out any other chances.

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