East Bengal FC opened their AFC Women's Champions League 2026/27 campaign with a 2-1 win over Ho Chi Minh City Women's FC of Vietnam in a Group B match at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Sunday, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and KhelNow reported. The match was part of the first AFC Women's Champions League matchday ever played on Indian soil.

Source: AFC (the-afc.com)

Ugandan striker Fazila Ikwaput scored both East Bengal goals in the first half. She put the home side ahead in the 20th minute from the penalty spot, after Football Video Support detected a handball by Rielly Chesna as she tried to stop Ikwaput's run. In the 34th minute Ikwaput capitalised on Tanaka Hitomi's powerful header, held off Chesna and slotted the ball past advancing goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh to make it 2-0.

Source: AFC (the-afc.com)

2-1Final score, East Bengal vs Ho Chi Minh City
20', 34'Fazila Ikwaput's two goals
60'Dau Nguyen Quynh Anh's reply for Ho Chi Minh City
Group BAFC Women's Champions League 2026/27

Ho Chi Minh City fought back after the break. On the hour mark, Tran Thi Thu Xuan's free-kick caused confusion in the East Bengal penalty area and substitute Dau Nguyen Quynh Anh dived in to head the ball home. The Vietnamese side pushed forward in the closing stages, but East Bengal held on to claim all three points.

Source: KhelNow

The result carries a piece of Indian football history: East Bengal, the reigning Indian Women's League champions, are now the first Indian club to register multiple victories in the AFC Women's Champions League group stage, adding Sunday's win to last season's 3-1 victory over Iran's Bam Khatoon FC, Khel Khiladis reported.

Source: Khel Khiladis

What happens next: East Bengal face Korea Republic's Hwacheon KSPO WFC in their second Group B match on Wednesday, while Ho Chi Minh City take on DPR Korea's 4.25 SC, who beat Hwacheon 2-1 earlier on Sunday, according to the AFC.