What changes should Antonio Habas make for East Bengal before next AFC Champions League Two clash?

East Bengal squander lead twice to suffer heartbreak against Iraqi Giants

East Bengal twice took the lead but ultimately let their advantage slip, as Al-Shorta came from behind to secure a 3-2 victory in their 2026-27 AFC Champions League Two group-stage match in Kolkata on Tuesday, October 13.

In the first half, East Bengal striker David Lalhlansanga Hmar scored twice, either side of an equaliser from Al-Shorta defender Ahmed Yahya. However, David missed three gilt-edged chances in the closing minutes of the first half, which eventually came back to haunt the home side.

In the second half, Al-Shorta’s Hussein Ali and Kingsley Kuku scored twice in the space of two minutes to put the visitors ahead. Al-Shorta’s Abdoul Moumouni was then shown a red card, leaving the visitors with 10 men for the final 15 minutes. However, East Bengal failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage and could not find an equaliser.

The result leaves East Bengal with a draw and a loss from their two group games, and their chances of qualifying for the next round now appear slim.

However, Antonio Habas’ side struggled to cope with the intense pressure applied by the visitors after the break. A few lapses in concentration allowed Al-Shorta to score two unanswered goals in the second half, completing their comeback to claim all three points.

The Spanish gaffer must’ve been frustrated with elements of East Bengal’s second half display and how they weren’t able to hold onto their one-goal lead to get their first win in their Asian campaign in front of their home crowd. Habas is probably going to learn about his side’s strengths and weaknesses at the continental stages with this performance.

That should allow him to make the necessary changes and tweaks to his system or personnel to help add more steel to his side’s structure, for them to carve out more efficient performances going forward. Here, we look at the changes that Antonio Habas should make for East Bengal before the next ACL Two clash.

Improve defensive concentration after half-time

East Bengal did not have an easy time dealing with Al-Shorta’s attackers in their second match of the 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two campaign, which was played at home. The visitors created numerous goalscoring opportunities, particularly in the second half.

The Iraqi heavyweights identified the spaces available in the wide areas and grew increasingly confident in taking on East Bengal’s full-backs. Hardik Bhatt made a few sloppy errors early in the second half, allowing Al-Shorta to capitalise, as Hussein Ali and Kingsley Kuku scored twice in the space of two minutes to put the visitors ahead.

Diego Živulić struggled to track the runs of Al-Shorta’s attackers, while his communication with centre-back partner Anwar Ali appeared to be below par. East Bengal’s defence looked vulnerable in the second half of the match, with Al-Shorta’s wingers getting past their markers with relative ease and delivering dangerous crosses into the box. However, several of these threats were dealt with by the resolute Anwar Ali and Lalchungnunga.

Habas needs to ensure better communication between the midfielders and defenders, improve their tracking of opposition runners, and prevent lapses in concentration immediately after half-time.

Need to be more reactive when leading

East Bengal made a promising start to their AFC Champions League Two match against Al-Shorta SC, pressing their opponents effectively and moving the ball forward swiftly through the midfield. However, as their energy levels began to drop, the Red and Gold Brigade increasingly resorted to sitting back and absorbing pressure rather than maintaining an aggressive press against Al-Shorta.

This allowed the visitors to dominate possession and circulate the ball efficiently in East Bengal’s half without facing significant pressure from the home side’s midfielders and attackers.

Such an approach could prove costly for East Bengal in their future ACL Two fixtures. They cannot afford to let their opponents dictate the tempo of the game and enjoy prolonged spells of possession without being challenged. Conceding thrice also highlighted the defensive vulnerabilities that Habas’ side must address if they are to protect leads more effectively against stronger opposition.

East Bengal must strike a balance between their aggressive strategy and improved tactical discipline. The team should avoid committing too many men forward at once, preserve sufficient defensive cover against counterattacks, and retain possession more wisely while they are ahead. Additionally, Habas needs to think about making timely substitutes to assist the team in keeping control and energy.

Therefore, greater emphasis must be placed on the midfielders’ ability to respond quickly to opposition threats in their own half. Players such as Mohammed Rashid, Jeakson Singh and Dani Ramirez need to work harder to close down spaces, press opposition midfielders in possession and disrupt their passing rhythm.

East Bengal must make it difficult for their opponents to progress the ball through midfield and should look to apply consistent pressure whenever the opposition has possession in their half. A more proactive pressing approach could force opponents into misplaced passes and backward balls, disrupting their attacking rhythm and making it harder for them to create clear-cut chances consistently.

Improve finishing and make the most of clear-cut chances

David Hmar could have been the hero, but the Indian striker’s missed opportunities in the first half ultimately came back to haunt East Bengal. He scored twice but could have netted five goals on the night. His performance summed up East Bengal’s continued struggles with finishing and making the most of clear-cut chances.

East Bengal had a few more opportunities to create chances on the counter-attack in the second half. However, they failed to capitalise on them, with their players either unable to find the right final pass or failing to finish their moves effectively. David, too, missed two clear-cut chances after scoring his brace in the first half, highlighting the team’s lack of clinical finishing in the final third.

East Bengal need to make better use of counter-attacks and swift transitions if they are to secure positive results in the ACL Two. Habas must therefore work on making his players more clinical in the final stages of these attacking moves and ensure they convert their opportunities instead of letting them go to waste.

Habas also admitted during the post-match press conference that missed chances had cost his side the game. He emphasised the importance of making better decisions in difficult situations while maintaining focus and concentration throughout the match. The East Bengal head coach also praised David’s performance, describing him as a fantastic player.

Given his goal scoring ability and attacking threat, David should be considered for a regular starting role in East Bengal’s upcoming fixtures. Despite missing several opportunities against Al-Shorta, his brace demonstrated his ability to find the net, and consistent game time could help him develop greater confidence and improve his finishing.

Habas must also work on sharpening his forwards during training, particularly their ability to remain composed under pressure and finish off chances created through quick transitions. He needs his attacking players to be more ruthless in front of goal. If East Bengal can improve their finishing during counter-attacks, they could become a more unpredictable attacking force in the ACL Two and improve their chances of securing positive results in the remaining group-stage fixtures.

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