East Bengal FC vs Ho Chi Minh City: Player battles that can decide AFC Women's Champions League match

East Bengal topped their group in the preliminary stages of the 2026-27 AFC Women’s Champions League

East Bengal Women, who represented the Indian tricolor at the continental stage last year, return to the Asian stage once again as India’s sole representatives in the 2026-27 AFC Women’s Champions League. This will mark their second appearance in the competition’s third edition.

They have already featured in the preliminary stage of this year’s edition, displaying complete dominance by scoring 18 goals, conceding none and securing three wins from three games to top their group. They have now qualified for the group stage, where they have been placed in Group B alongside Ho Chi Minh City, Hwacheon KSPO and April 25 SC.

Their first group-stage match will be against Ho Chi Minh City, one of the six teams that directly qualified for the group stage of the 2026-27 AFC Women’s Champions League. The Vietnamese side are coming off a successful domestic campaign, having secured their eighth consecutive V-Women’s League title and their record-extending 15th overall triumph.

They have featured in both previous editions of the tournament, reaching the semi-finals in 2024-25 after a thrilling 5-4 victory over Abu Dhabi Country Club before being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the 2025-26 edition by eventual champions Naegohyang.

As both sides look to improve on their performances in their previous appearances and begin this campaign with a victory, here are three key player battles that could have a major impact on the outcome of the game.

Sweety Devi vs Huỳnh Như

Huỳnh Như, a veteran presence in Ho Chi Minh City’s attack, has scored over 100 goals and played a crucial role in many of the club’s V-Women’s League triumphs. Having also made over 70 appearances for the Vietnam national team, she will undoubtedly remain one of the biggest threats to East Bengal Women.

She scored twice in the recently concluded domestic season and has also scored four goals in this competition in the past, including one against Odisha FC. She is expected to face a tough battle inside the box against Indian international and East Bengal captain Sweety Devi.

While Huỳnh Như is known for her off-the-ball movement and clinical finishing, Sweety is renowned for her ability to anticipate opposition strikers’ movements and avert danger through fearless ground tackles and crucial interceptions.

Overall, this battle will play a key role in determining how many goals the Vietnamese side can score against East Bengal.

Trần Nguyễn Bảo Châu vs Shilky Devi

Bảo Châu, another veteran who has represented Ho Chi Minh City for over 15 years, scored the historic winning goal in her side’s 5-4 victory over Abu Dhabi Country Club in the 2024-25 edition, securing their place in the semi-finals.

Often deployed as a defensive midfielder shielding the backline, she relies on her experience and positional awareness to read the game rather than aggressively hunt for the ball, particularly given her age of 35. She also frequently drops between the defenders in possession and makes late runs into the box to score crucial goals.

She will be up against a highly energetic midfield engine in Shilky Devi, who has already registered five goal contributions in the preliminary stages.

While Bảo Châu relies heavily on her positioning, Shilky is a mobile, aggressive presser who often ventures beyond her position to win the ball back and initiate quick transitions. Her ability to do so also helps her create chances in the final third.

If Shilky can trouble Bảo Châu with her unpredictable runs and movement, the Vietnamese midfielder could struggle to cope with the intensity of her Indian counterpart.

Olivia Anokye vs Chương Thị Kiều

Olivia Anokye, the Ghanaian striker who has been in excellent form for East Bengal Women this season, was the team’s top scorer in the preliminary stage, scoring five of their 18 goals. Anokye is known for her prolific goal scoring ability in the final third, combined with her versatility to play across the attacking line.

She possesses a good burst of pace and often drifts into wide areas to unsettle opposition defenses with her movement. She will be up against Chương Thị Kiều, a veteran defender who has made over 150 appearances for Ho Chi Minh City and 90 appearances for the Vietnam national team.

Chương Thị Kiều is known for her no-nonsense defending, leadership at the back and ability to make crucial interceptions and blocks by reading the game and anticipating opposition strikers’ movements. She is also dominant in the air but will face a different kind of threat against an agile, quick striker like Anokye.

The Ghanaian will be crucial to East Bengal’s hopes of scoring in the final third and securing a positive result in their opening group-stage fixture.

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