How can East Bengal qualify for knockout rounds of the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Two after Al-Seeb draw?

A win is mandatory for the torchbearers

East Bengal failed to secure their first win of the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Two group stage, falling to a frustrating 0-0 draw with Al-Seeb. Both sides had their share of chances, but the Red & Gold Brigade were not clinical enough to convert their opportunities and earn all three points in Oman.

The draw also meant that East Bengal only have two points from their first three matches of the 2026-27 ACL Two group stages. Halfway through the group matches, they are still in a vulnerable position when it comes to their hopes of qualifying for the knockout rounds of the competition.

That is because East Bengal are currently three points behind second-place Al-Hussein, with Al-Shorta topping the group with seven points. The Indian Super League (ISL) side absolutely needs to pick up their performances in the next few group games to bolster their chances of making their way to the knockout rounds of the competition.

But how exactly can East Bengal ensure qualification for the next rounds of the AFC Champions League Two?

What does East Bengal need to do to qualify for the next round of the AFC Champions League Two?

East Bengal cannot really afford to lose matches or drop points in their next three continental matches if they really aspire to secure a top-2 place in their group. For Antonio Habas’ side, the primary and immediate objective has to be for them to get a win over Al-Seeb in their upcoming match at the Salt Lake Stadium.

That will not only result in their first win of the 2026-27 ACL Two but also enable them to get some confidence on their side. However, things will only get trickier for the Kolkata giants after their match against Al-Seeb. Following that clash, they will be facing the toughest opponents of their groups with a home match against Al-Hussein – before finishing the group stages with an away clash against Al-Shorta.

Antonio Habas needs to prepare his side for two really tricky clashes in their final matches of the group campaign. They’ll need to be defensively resilient and have to work hard as one solid unit to be able to pose a major threat to either of the two sides. However, East Bengal cannot just accept a draw from those clashes.

Indeed, the defending ISL champions need to look to win at least one of the two matches against Al-Hussein and Al-Shorta. Ideally, they need to look to pick up four points from the possible six on offer from those games. Doing so, as well as winning the home match against Al-Seeb, will enable East Bengal to finish the group stages with nine points – which can significantly enhance their chances of making the next rounds.

What results must go to East Bengal’s win for them to qualify for the knockout stages?

Unfortunately for the Torchbearers, the path to the knockout stages isn’t fully in their hands. They will need other results to go in their favour to bolster their chances of acquiring a top-two finish at the end of the group stages. Firstly, East Bengal really need a positive result in their favour in the upcoming clash between Al Shorta and Al-Hussein.

They’ll need Al Shorta to win that clash at Al-Hussein’s home. If that happens and East Bengal are able to defeat Al-Seeb, then the ISL side and Al-Hussein will be tied on five points after the first four game weeks of the ACL Two group stages. That will set up a mouth-watering clash between Al-Hussein and East Bengal at the Salt Lake Stadium on 24 November in the penultimate group stage clash.

East Bengal will need to defeat Al-Hussein to take a major advantage in the race for a top-two place, as that win will enable them to have a three-point lead over Al-Hussein heading into the final group game. The Red & Gold Brigade can then secure a top-2 place if able to acquire one point in their away clash against Al-Shorta, who possibly might even secure qualification into the next round before that clash.

If East Bengal are unable to defeat Al-Seeb in their next game, however, things will get tricky. In that case, they’ll need Al-Hussein to lose against Al-Shorta and then defeat Al-Hussein in their fifth group game. That will give East Bengal a one-point lead over Al-Hussein heading into the final group game, and in that case, they’ll need Al-Seeb to defeat Al-Hussein in their final game for East Bengal to secure a second-place finish.

For East Bengal, the focus needs to be on acquiring maximum points from their final three matches of the group stages. Doing so will greatly bolster their chances of finishing in the top two and making it to the knockout rounds of the AFC Champions League Two.

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