East Bengal FC Stages Dramatic Comeback to Defeat Al Arabi SC in AFC Champions League Two Qualifier East Bengal FC delivered a breathtaking performance to overcome Kuwait’s Al Arabi SC in a thrilling AFC Champions League Two qualifier at the Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday. The ISL champions secured a 4-1 victory in extra time, booking their place in the group stage of the tournament. The match, which stretched into the 120th minute, showcased East Bengal’s resilience as they clawed back from a deficit to claim a historic triumph. The hosts started brightly, with Palestinian midfielder Basim Rashid making an immediate impact. His powerful strike from outside the box in the opening stages forced a fine save from Al Arabi’s goalkeeper, Sulaiman Abdulghafoor. The visitors, however, came close to taking the lead in the 23rd minute when Kenean Maleko’s effort narrowly evaded Prabhsukhan Gill’s outstretched hand. The Indian custodian’s reflexes prevented the ball from crossing the line, keeping the scoreline at 0-0. Al Arabi struck first in the 76th minute after Sandip Mandi fouled Maleko inside the penalty area. Nigerian forward Anayo Iwuala converted the resulting spot-kick, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. With the match seemingly slipping away, East Bengal responded with a dramatic equalizer in the 90th minute. Jay Gupta headed home from a Rashid free-kick, sending the home crowd into euphoria and setting the stage for a thrilling extra-time encounter. The second half of extra time saw East Bengal dominate, showcasing superior endurance against a fatigued opponent. Rashid, the match’s standout performer, struck a superb angled half-volley in the 108th minute to put East Bengal ahead.#east_bengal_fc #salt_lake_stadium #al_arabi_sc #afc_champions_league_two #basim_rashid
