"Incredibly proud of this group." - East Bengal FC Women head coach Anthony Andrews after defeating Ho Chi Minh City in AWCL group game
East Bengal started the tournament with a win.
East Bengal FC secured a 2-1 victory over Ho Chi Minh City WFC on November 1, 2026, at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in their opening match of the AFC Women’s Champions League 2026-27.
A brace from Fazila Ikwaput ensured that the Moshal Girls began their AFC Women’s Champions League campaign with a positive result.
Despite Ho Chi Minh City WFC finding the back of the net in the second half through Dau Nguyen Quynh Anh, East Bengal FC produced a resilient performance to secure all three points.
Following this victory, East Bengal FC moved into second place in the group standings.
After the match, East Bengal FC Women’s head coach Anthony Andrews and Player of the Match Fazila Ikwaput addressed the media.
Here is the post-match press conference report following East Bengal’s clash against Ho Chi Minh City WFC in Matchday 1 of the AWCL 2026-27 Group Stage.
Anthony Andrews on East Bengal’s victory and his message to the fans
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East Bengal FC Women’s head coach Anthony Andrews expressed how happy and proud he was with his team’s performance following their victory against Vietnamese opponents Ho Chi Minh City WFC in their AWCL 2026-27 Group B Matchday 1 fixture.
Anthony stated, “I’m incredibly proud of this group. We really worked hard to achieve this. However, there are other areas where we need to improve as a team. But at this moment, I just want to sleep with these three points and see what comes next.”
“In terms of the areas where we need to work, finishing is one of them. I think we will work on that. But I am happy at this moment that we got three points. We have two nights to recover from this, and we will see what best we can do.”
“But, like I said, I am happy with all the players, whoever played and whoever came off the bench. They gave 100% on the pitch and stuck to the plan. So, I am incredibly proud of the team, and I hope that we continue in the next two games.”
“Coming back to your second question about the fans, I think I would not like to say anything at this moment. This was an opportunity for them to come and support the girls.”
“But I am happy and glad that whoever turned up came to support the girls. From the bottom of my heart, on behalf of the entire team, I would like to thank all the fans who turned up. And let’s see, even if they don’t come, we will keep doing what we are doing.”
“I am incredibly proud of the whole team. The work behind the team is reflected on the pitch, and I hope that we continue doing what we are doing. It’s still a long way to go. Like I mentioned earlier, we have to improve on what we did last season.”
“These two games will be a testament to how much we have improved on what we lacked last season. The people behind the team are working really hard to make this happen, and I am happy to be part of this process,” he concluded.
Fazila Ikwaput on her brace and East Bengal’s victory
Fazila Ikwaput, the star performer in East Bengal’s victory against Ho Chi Minh City WFC in their AWCL 2026-27 Group Stage opener, spoke about her feelings after the win.
She also highlighted that the team’s primary objective is to qualify for the knockout stages this time and rectify the mistakes they made last season.
Fazila said, “I feel good, and we are just hoping for a game-changing performance from the whole team because, without them, we would not have performed well. This is only one of the three points, and we are looking forward to the next two games.”
“Our target right now is to qualify for the knockouts. Last year, we missed out, but this is where we want to go. We want to keep working hard. Thank you so much, coach, for your time,” she concluded.
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