East Bengal Women 2-1 Ho Chi Minh City WFC: Key takeaways from the Moshal Girls’ historic victory in their AWCL 2026-27 Group B opener

East Bengal secured a 2-1 victory over Ho Chi Minh City WFC on home soil.

East Bengal FC  held off a spirited second-half comeback from Ho Chi Minh City WFC to register a hard-fought 2-1 victory in an action-packed AFC Women’s Champions League 2026-27 Group B encounter on Sunday.

Fazila Ikwaput opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 20th minute before doubling East Bengal’s advantage with a superb individual effort. The brace gave the Moshal Girls a comfortable 2-0 lead going into the half-time break.

However, Ho Chi Minh City fought their way back into the contest and reduced the deficit in the 60th minute, capitalising on a defensive miscommunication from the hosts. The Vietnamese outfit pushed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages, but East Bengal held their ground to secure a 2-1 win and claim all three points.

This victory offers several positives for head coach Anthony Andrews ahead of East Bengal’s next two matches. However, there are also areas where the Moshal Girls need to improve if they are to maintain their winning momentum and secure qualification for the knockout stages this time.

Here are the key takeaways from the match and the changes East Bengal need to make ahead of their next fixture.

Key Takeaways

1. Fazila steals the show once again

The Ugandan striker once again showcased her attacking prowess, proving to be a constant threat to the Vietnamese side under Anthony Andrews’ guidance.

East Bengal took the lead in the 20th minute as Fazila Ikwaput calmly converted a penalty after Football Video Support (FVS) detected a handball by Rielly Chesna while she tried to halt the forward’s run.

Ikwaput pounced on Tanaka Hitomi’s powerful header in the 34th minute, held off Chesna’s challenge and slotted the ball past the advancing Tran Thi Kim Thanh to give East Bengal a comfortable two-goal lead heading into the interval.

The Ho Chi Minh City defence was continually disturbed by her mobility, physical presence, and ability to find openings inside the opposition box. In the second half, she also had a chance to complete her hat-trick, but the Vietnamese custodian and a vital defensive block stopped her.

With two goals in the opening fixture, Fazila Ikwaput is among the top scorers after Matchday 1 of the AWCL 2026-27 Group Stage, alongside Saratou Traore of Beijing Jingtan FC. She once again demonstrated why she is one of the most potent attacking threats in Anthony Andrews’ East Bengal setup.

2. East Bengal’s defensive organisation needs improvement

Despite scoring twice and securing all three points in their opening fixture, East Bengal Women looked vulnerable defensively at times.

Even after taking a comfortable 2-0 lead into the half-time break, the Moshal Girls allowed the visitors to pull one back in the 60th minute, making the contest more competitive and helping the Vietnamese side regain momentum in the second half. While Ho Chi Minh City WFC struggled to cope with East Bengal’s attacking threat before the interval, they looked more threatening after the restart.

The visitors reduced the deficit through Dau Nguyen Quynh Anh, who headed home from a free-kick delivery by Tran Thi Thu Xuan in the 60th minute.

The goal exposed East Bengal’s defensive vulnerabilities, particularly their organisation during set-pieces and their ability to deal with aerial threats. It also gave Ho Chi Minh City renewed hope of mounting a comeback. Therefore, the Moshal Girls must improve their defensive coordination, maintain concentration during set-piece situations and be more organised when dealing with aerial duels.

These improvements will be particularly important against stronger opposition such as Hwacheon KSPO WFC and 4.25 SC (PRK) in their next two Group B fixtures.

3. The Moshal Girls need to be more clinical in front of goal

East Bengal created enough opportunities in the final third but failed to capitalise on several of them, which could have put the contest beyond Ho Chi Minh City’s reach in the first half itself. However, their inability to convert those chances allowed the Vietnamese side to remain in the game and fight until the final whistle.

Fazila Ikwaput had an opportunity to complete a memorable hat-trick but failed to find the net. Olivia Anokye, Resty Nanziri and the other attacking players also missed several promising opportunities due to poor decision-making and a lack of composure in front of goal. Had they been more clinical, East Bengal could have added considerably to their tally.

Against teams with greater defensive stability, East Bengal will need to be more precise and clinical in the final third. This is one area head coach Anthony Andrews will be keen to address before the upcoming fixtures. He must work with his players on improving their decision-making, movement and finishing so that they can turn promising opportunities into goals.

Changes before next game

Moshal Girls’ AWCL 2026–27 Group B season has gotten off to a strong start. The team’s attacking combinations, their ability to endure a second-half comeback, and Fazila Ikwaput’s game-winning brace were all significant advantages. Before the forthcoming games, head coach Anthony Andrews will need to address a few issues.

East Bengal’s defensive focus needs to be strengthened, especially when handling set-pieces and aerial threats. Additionally, instead of letting opponents set the pace after gaining the lead, they must keep up their intensity and midfield control for the full ninety minutes. Improved decision-making and clinical finishing will be crucial in the attacking third to convert more of their opportunities and prevent a comeback.

The Red and Gold Brigade needs to improve these areas while maintaining their attacking confidence in preparation for a more difficult match on November 4 against Hwacheon KSPO WFC. The Indian champions could improve their position in Group B and get closer to the knockout stages with a more focused defensive performance, better transition play, and increased effectiveness in front of goal.

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