East Bengal FC's Dramatic Triumph: Advances to AFC Challenge League Quarter-Finals

East Bengal FC clinched a spot in the AFC Challenge League quarter-finals after a nail-biting 3-2 win over Nejmeh SC. Greek striker Dimitri Diamantakos starred again, netting twice to drive his team forward. The Red and Gold brigade's mid-season comeback under Oscar Bruzon is proving promising.

East Bengal FC successfully secured a berth in the AFC Challenge League quarter-finals with a tense 3-2 victory over Lebanon's Nejmeh SC in their final group game, played on Friday. Greek striker Dimitri Diamantakos remained in stellar form, scoring twice to help his team progress into the last eight of the competition.

The Red and Gold brigade, which has experienced a challenging start in the Indian Super League (ISL) with six consecutive defeats, found their rhythm in Asia under the new leadership of head coach Oscar Bruzon. East Bengal FC completed the group stage undefeated, accumulating seven points, and started strongly by taking an early lead when an own goal by Baba Musah gave them an advantage in the eighth minute. Just seven minutes later, Diamantakos converted a low cross from Naorem Mahesh Singh to double their lead.

Nejmeh SC quickly responded, narrowing the lead within three minutes as Collins Opare found the net, rekindling the contest. East Bengal had a chance to restore their two-goal margin when Madih Talal caught a deflected shot from Diamantakos, but his attempt soared over the bar. As the half neared its end, Hussain Monzer scored an equalizer for Nejmeh, leveling the score at halftime. Desperate for a win, East Bengal injected fresh energy into their lineup with Provak Lakra replacing Hector Yuste early in the second half. This sparked an effort from Mahesh to locate Nandhakumar Sekar in the box, but the latter failed to capitalize.

In a tightly contested second half, Nejmeh's Kassem El Zein tested the mettle of goalkeeper Prabshukhan Singh Gill in the 54th minute, and moments later, Lakra crucially blocked another attempt by El Zein. Eventually, fifteen minutes before time, East Bengal was awarded a penalty that Diamantakos calmly converted, notching his second goal and bringing East Bengal closer to the quarter-finals mark.

With the aim of maintaining their lead, Bruzon made a tactical substitution, deploying Jeakson Singh in place of Mahesh. In the dying moments of stoppage time, Talal missed an opportunity to extend the lead, countered by a brilliant save from the goalkeeper. Regardless, East Bengal's defensive resilience saw them through to the quarter-final stage of the AFC Challenge League.

The competition for the best-placed runner-up from the group stage highlights that East Bengal FC might face the victors from Group B or Oman's club Al-Seeb. If Nejmeh emerges as the best runner-up, East Bengal will encounter Oman's Al-Seeb. Conversely, should a team from Group B qualify, East Bengal could face Turkmenistan's Arkadag, Kyrgyzstan's Abdysh-Ata Kant, or Kuwait's Al-Arabi.

(With inputs from agencies.)