Kolkata: East Bengal and FK Arkadag will face each other on Wednesday in the AFC Challenge League, with the two clubs positioned at opposite ends of their respective seasons. The visiting team from Turkmenistan is embarking on a new campaign with this double-leg quarter-final in Asia’s third-tier competition, while East Bengal finds itself mid-table, just one match away from concluding another Indian Super League (ISL) season.

Having suffered a defeat to Altyn Asyr in the Asian Champions League 2 qualifier last August, East Bengal is acutely aware of the challenges posed by early-season knockout matches. Altyn Asyr, also hailing from Turkmenistan, was in the midst of their season at that time, and the disparity between the teams was evident in the 2-3 loss that relegated East Bengal to this competition. Notably, Ahmet Atayew, a midfielder from Altyn Asyr during that match, is now among Arkadag’s new signings and will be available for this encounter.

Although Oscar Bruzon was not the coach during that previous match, he referenced it to highlight that while fatigue can be a concern—especially for a team that played with ten men for nearly an hour on Sunday—early-season vigor may not always confer an advantage. Dovletmyrat Annayev, the head coach of FK Arkadag, chose not to dwell on the challenge of facing a squad that has already played nearly 30 matches, nor on Altyn Asyr’s victory.

Bruzon acknowledged that Arkadag could begin the match with strong momentum, but he expressed confidence that East Bengal, having matched the intensity of top ISL teams, would be capable of managing the situation.

In a tournament that imposes no limits on the number of foreign players, East Bengal has the opportunity to utilize all six of their foreign signings, while Arkadag has none. Nevertheless, the Turkmen side has dominated domestic competitions since their inception 23 months ago, remaining unbeaten in 54 matches across two seasons of the Yokary Liga and securing consecutive titles. They have also triumphed in the national cup tournament.

East Bengal earned the right to compete in Asia after winning India’s Super Cup in January 2024. However, the period since then has been marked by a series of disappointing results at home for one of the oldest clubs still in existence.

East Bengal concluded their streak of six consecutive defeats in ISL11 with a decisive 4-0 victory over Bashundhara Kings, followed by a 2-2 draw against Paro FC, and subsequently secured a 3-2 win against Lebanon’s Nejmeh SC in a crucial match.

Dimitrios Diamantakos, with four goals, currently leads the competition in scoring, and this match presents an opportunity for the East Bengal striker to make amends following his red card incident against Bengaluru FC on Sunday. “I hope Dimi responds positively on the field,” remarked Bruzon.

East Bengal's struggles in ISL can be attributed to a poor conversion rate of goal-scoring opportunities. Last season, Diamantakos was the top scorer with 13 goals in 17 matches, but this season he has managed only four goals in 19 appearances. Captain Saul Crespo addressed this issue during Tuesday’s pre-match press conference, stating, “Footballers experience both highs and lows. However, we should remember that we capitalized on nearly all our chances in Bhutan.”

In a season plagued by injuries, Bruzon's only concern ahead of this match is Anwar Ali’s troublesome hamstring, which casts doubt on his availability for India’s Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh later this month.

Although East Bengal may have missed the opportunity to qualify for the playoffs in ISL, they approach this match with three victories and a draw in the domestic league. As India’s most successful team in Asia in terms of appearances and wins, East Bengal enters this match with a renewed sense of confidence, a stark contrast to their performance in the previous four seasons.

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