East Bengal FC vs April 25 SC: Three-player battle that can decide AFC Women's Champions League match

East Bengal are coming off the back of a loss in their last game

Two teams that won their respective domestic competitions last season and made it through the preliminary stages of the 2026/27 AFC Women’s Champions League unbeaten, scoring plenty of goals along the way, will face each other in the final group-stage fixture of Group B in Kolkata.

East Bengal, the hosts of Group B in the 2026/27 AFC Women’s Champions League, will take on group leaders April 25 SC in a crucial final group-stage clash. It is a do-or-die fixture for the hosts if they are to keep their knockout hopes alive. They will need to avoid a heavy defeat at all costs, although a draw or, preferably, a win would put them in a much better position.

Despite their dominance in the preliminary stages, the group-stage campaign has not gone as expected for the Kolkata side so far. After winning their opening game 2-1 against Ho Chi Minh City, the Moshal Girls were expected to put up a strong fight against Hwacheon KSPO WFC. However, despite being level at half-time, they eventually suffered a 4-1 defeat.

On the other hand, April 25 SC have carried their fine form from the preliminary stages into the group stages, winning both their opening games and comfortably sitting at the top of the table. They were pushed hard by Hwacheon KSPO WFC but secured a narrow 2-1 win before easing past Ho Chi Minh City with a convincing 6-0 victory in their most recent game.

As both teams prepare for a crucial encounter, hoping for a favourable result, let’s take a look at three key player battles that could end up deciding the outcome of this game.

Adama Alhassan vs Ri Su-Yang

Ri Su-Yang, the North Korean side’s striker, had an outstanding game in front of goal against Ho Chi Minh City, scoring once, registering three shots on target and creating several chances for her teammates. She also won 12 duels in the attacking third.

She is expected to come up against Adama Alhassan, East Bengal’s versatile midfielder, who has been slotting in at center-back during this AFC Women’s Champions League campaign.

While Alhassan is known for her aerial prowess and ability to position herself effectively between a Centre-back and a defensive midfielder during build-up, she has been inconsistent with her positioning this campaign. She has made direct positional errors that have led to some of the goals Anthony Andrews’ side have conceded.

This is one area of the pitch that an attack-minded side like April 25 SC will be keen to exploit as they look to add to their goal tally before heading into the knockout stages.

Jon Ryong-Jong vs Olivia Anokye

In what is expected to be a tactical battle in the middle of the park, Ryong-Jong will come up against East Bengal’s Ghanaian midfielder Olivia Anokye, who is known for her tenacity in midfield.

However, Anokye can sometimes be overly physical and aggressive with her tackling, resulting in cheap fouls in dangerous areas. On the other hand, this approach also helps her win possession higher up the pitch and make crucial recoveries and interceptions.

She will be up against Ryong-Jong, who controls the tempo of the game with her composure and passing range, even when pressed under heavy pressure. She also possesses the vision and ability to consistently create chances in the final third, as demonstrated by her goal and assist in the recent 6-0 win against Ho Chi Minh City.

Fazila Ikwaput vs Jong Pok-Yong

Fazila Ikwaput has been carrying the East Bengal attack in this AFC Women’s Champions League campaign, having scored all three goals that the Moshal Girls have managed so far. And if you have watched the games closely, she could easily have had at least another three, given the number of chances she has created across the 180 minutes of football.

Ikwaput is crucial to East Bengal’s approach in quick transitions, finding the right moments to run in behind the opposition defense and convert those opportunities into goals. Her burst of pace and attacking movement are expected to pose a major threat to young Jong Pok-Yong in the opposition defense.

The North Korean center-back, who was instrumental in her country’s run to the final of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, relies heavily on her positioning and reading of the game to intercept the ball and stop opposition attacks. Against a striker who consistently looks to run in behind the defense, she will face a different kind of challenge and will certainly be tested by Ikwaput’s movement both inside and outside the box.

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