The AFC Challenge League will be the new third-tier AFC club competition starting in October 2024 with 18 teams. The clubs are divided into five groups with two zones, three of four teams in the West Zone and two of three teams from the East. Eight teams will progress to the knockouts including three group winners and the best-ranked side from the West Zone with the top two finishers in the East Zone. East Bengal FC will be representing India in the tournament having returned to continental football after eight years. Their last action in the AFC club competition was in the erstwhile AFC Cup where they finished third and were eliminated from the group stage.
Carles Cuadrat's side won the Super Cup 2024 to qualify for the AFC Champions League 2 qualifying stage but failed to get into the competition proper after losing 3-2 to Altyn Asyr FC of Turkmenistan at Salt Lake Stadium this month. The defeat relegated them to the third-tier competition, where they will compete against fellow South Asian teams. After the draw held on 22 August 2024, East Bengal FC was drawn into Group A with Lebanon’s Nejmeh SC, Bangladesh league winners Bashundhara Kings and Paro FC of Bhutan in the inaugural AFC Challenge League. The Group A matches will be played in a centralised zone at Thimpu, Bhutan with each team facing each other once. The Red and Gold must win their group to be certain of moving into the quarterfinals.
East Bengal Journey to AFC Challenge League 2024/25
Even though East Bengal failed to make it to the ISL playoffs again since joining the league in 2020, the 2023-24 season was memorable for the fans as they won their first competitive trophy since 2012 by lifting the Super Cup title in Orissa back in January. The Torch Bearers beat holders Odisha FC in a thrilling final that required extra time to decide the outcome. After topping their group ahead of city rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant and beating Jamshedpur FC 2-0 in the semifinal, the team reached the showpiece. East Bengal had to come from behind at half-time to take the lead in the final but Ahmed Jahouh's last-gasp penalty ended normal time on level terms again. However, talisman Cleiton Silva made sure the Kolkata giants had the last laugh by slotting the winner in the 111th minute of the match.
East Bengal earned a place in the AFC Champions 2 qualifiers with the title win and got the home advantage by playing the tie at Salt Lake Stadium. They faced the Turkmenistan side Altyn Asyr FC in the battle to earn a place in the group stage of the main competition. The side failed to fulfil their objective in the evening despite taking the lead through new signing David Lalhlansanga as early as seven minutes into the match. Despite going down, Altyn Asyr kept their cool and overturned the deficit before the half-hour mark. Mihail Titow’s strike in the second half proved to be the winner as Saul Crespo making it 3-2 on the hour mark did not mount a comeback at the end.
Opponents
Nejmeh SC (Lebanon)
East Bengal’s rival for the top spot will be the Lebanese side Nejmeh SC whom they lost heavily both home and away in the 2010 AFC Cup group stage. Even now, the team has maintained their standard after winning the Lebanese Premier League last season, their ninth title in history. It was their first league honour since the 2013-14 season, but they had won the Lebanese FA Cup three times during that period. Nejmeh will certainly cause trouble for their Indian counterpart whom they face in the probable decider in the final group game.
Bashundhara Kings (Bangladesh)
Bashundhara Kings has become a regular name in the AFC club competition since their debut in the AFC Cup four years ago. The team won a seventh straight Bangladesh Premier League title last season and did their first domestic double after claiming the Independence Cup for the third time. The Kings have proved to be a difficult opponent in recent times even beating East Bengal’s rivals Mohun Bagan in the AFC Cup last time and coming close to winning their group. They hope to pose a significant threat in the group stage once again.
Paro FC (Bhutan)
The weakest opponent of the lot, Paro FC of Bhutan will host the group games and would wish to cause an upset using the home advantage. The team is appearing in an AFC club competition for the fourth time and for the first time in the group stage of the main tournament. The four-time Bhutan Premier League winners beat Nepal’s Church Boys United 2-1 to break their preliminary stage hoodoo and also registered their first victory at the continental stage.
East Bengal Fixtures for AFC Challenge League 2024/25
26 October 2024
East Bengal vs Paro FC
29 October 2024
Bashundhara Kings vs East Bengal
1 November 2024
East Bengal vs Nejmeh SC
East Bengal’s journey in the inaugural AFC Challenge League begins against host Paro FC on 26 October 2024. Carles Cuadrat's men will be confident of getting three points from the opener and in the second group game against Bashundhara Kings on 29 October 2024. That will set them well for the decider two days later. One more win in the final group game against Nejmeh SC will seal their place in the quarterfinals by topping their group. Even if they finish as runners-up, the Torch Bearers will hope not to lose any games or minimise the damage to advance to the next round.
