East Bengal Suffer Late Defeat to Al-Seeb in AFC Champions League 2

East Bengal’s hopes of advancing to the knockout stages of the AFC Champions League 2 suffered a major setback on Tuesday following a 0-2 defeat to Omani side Al-Seeb. The match, held at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, saw the home team concede two late goals, leaving them at the bottom of Group D with only two points from four matches.

The result leaves Al-Seeb in third place within the group, now boasting four points. For East Bengal, the loss marks a difficult turn in their continental campaign, as they struggled to convert early dominance into a tangible lead before the visitors struck twice in the closing stages of the contest.

Al-Seeb gradually found their rhythm, with Abdul Aziz Al Maqbali creating a chance for Axel Meye, though the Gabonese forward’s attempt was gathered by goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa. The second half saw a shift in momentum as the visitors returned with renewed energy. While East Bengal continued to hunt for an opener—most notably through a header from Lalrindika and a long-range effort from Augustine Oladapo—it was Al-Seeb who looked increasingly dangerous. Omer Al Malki forced a sharp reflex save from Lachenpa in the 76th minute, setting the stage for the late drama.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 85th minute when Hassan Al Ajmi set up Meye, who turned his marker and fired a powerful strike past Lachenpa. With East Bengal pushing forward in search of an equalizer, the visitors capitalized on the space left behind. In the first minute of stoppage time, Meye turned provider, delivering a cross for Zahir Al Aghbari, who calmly finished into the bottom-right corner to secure the win.