AFC Challenge League: Talking points from FK Arkadag's 2-1 win over East Bengal FC

East Bengal FC bowed out of the continental competition, losing 3-1 on aggregate to the Turkmenistan champions.

East Bengal FC were eliminated from the 2024-25 AFC Challenge League in the harshest way possible after a 2-1 loss to FK Arkadag, losing the tie by a 3-1 margin. The Red & Gold Brigade produced a brave effort at the Arkadag Stadium in Turkmenistan after taking the lead in the first minute through Raphael Messi Bouli’s instinctive finish.

However, the Torchbearers lost control of the game after Lalchungnunga was sent off in the 33rd minute after receiving a second yellow for a soft foul at the edge of the box. They had to play almost an hour with 10 men, trying their best to push forward to get that important second goal.

Heartbreak for Red and Gold Brigade in Turkmenistan! Two late goals by Altymyrat Annadurdiyev get East Bengal knocked out of the AFC Challenge League! #IndianFootball #AFCChallengeLeague #EastBengal pic.twitter.com/ONQCUJOnJt

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) March 12, 2025

However, the hosts piled on the pressure in the second half and earned an 89th-minute penalty, which super-sub Altymyrat Annadurdyýew converted from the spot to help his side progress to the semi-finals. The Turkmenistani striker put the nail in the coffin by capitalizing on a defensive error to score the winner for the Ýokary Liga champions deep in stoppage time.

While East Bengal’s performance was valiant, they ultimately came up short in awakening the ruthless beast and delivering the end product. Here are the talking points from the side’s disappointing elimination from the AFC Challenge League.

East Bengal FC’s midfield woes cripple AFC Challenge League performance

Deploying with a 4-4-2 formation in a must-win game, East Bengal hoped to replicate a tactic that has worked well in recent months. However, they lacked the drive or energy to dominate the midfield battle against the Turkmenistanis. Saul Crespo and Souvik Chakrabarti worked hard, covering much space to help defensively and trying their best to limit Arkadag’s movement through central areas. However, they lacked any creative threat or efficiency that would have raised the unpredictability of East Bengal’s game.

Neither Saul nor Souvik showed any creative influence, and they could not set up anything noteworthy for their forwards. They were too protective with their approaches, and having to create chances through wide areas throughout the game hurt East Bengal. Dimitrios Diamantakos tried to fill the gaps in the central areas by dropping deep, but that also hurt East Bengal’s threat inside the box.

Richard Celis experiment didn’t work in Oscar Bruzon’s favour

With East Bengal having the advantage of playing unlimited foreign players in the AFC Challenge League, Oscar Bruzon began the clash with five of the best players at his disposal. However, he decided to make an interesting tweak with Richard Celis. The Venezuelan winger, who mostly likes to operate as a left-winger, was deployed as a right-winger. Celis played a decent role in the build-up for the opener but almost became invisible after that.

He lacked any proper threat with his runs through the right, not choosing the right moments to put threatening crosses into the box and losing possession quite a few times. Celis struggled without the freedom to drive in from the left-wing areas into dangerous positions, stagnating East Bengal’s threat through the right. He was substituted in the second half, and Oscar Bruzon’s decision to switch his role for his key game failed to bring any rewards.

ALSO READ: AFC Challenge League Highlights: FK Arkadag knock East Bengal out with narrow win

Left-back position needs serious upgrades

Oscar Bruzon opted to play Lalchungnunga as the left-back for East Bengal against Arkadag, mainly as he has been in that position for most of the 2024-25 season. However, this has not proven to be that rewarding for either of the two parties. Lalchungnunga got sent off around the half-hour mark after picking up two yellow cards, having made too many silly fouls early on.

The reality is that Lalchungnunga is not cut out to be a natural left-back, mainly because he has never been one. He mostly excels in a centre-back role, where he can look after clearing danger from inside or around the box rather than the wide areas.

He lacks the proper pace to deal with tricky wingers, and his vulnerabilities were laid bare against Arkadag, with his red card being the fourth sending-off for the defender this season. East Bengal desperately needs to look into signing a quality left-back in the summer window. They preferably need a left-footed defender who is not only defensively more composed and efficient but can also provide the attacking thrust that Lalchungnunga has lacked this season.

Raphael Messi Bouli is one to retain for next season

East Bengal will likely change their foreigner roster significantly for the 2025-26 season. At this point, it will not be surprising if they decide to replace most of their foreign players. However, one player who does not deserve to be removed from the squad is Raphael Messi Bouli. He was one of their brightest sparks against Arkadag, driving them forward with his proactive nature.

Bouli showcased his poacher’s instincts with his clinical finish to put his side forward, getting in the right place at the right time. He ran his socks off, helping out defensively and winning 16 duels against the physical Arkadag players. Messi Bouli has now scored three goals and provided one assist in seven games for East Bengal this season.

With his physical strength and clever passing ability, he can contribute to goals and be an ideal link-up asset. He is versatile enough to play in multiple roles. East Bengal should not hesitate to give him a one-year contract extension and keep him for the next campaign.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.