FC Arkadag came from behind to beat East Bengal 2-1 in their AFC Challenge League 2024-25 quarter-final second leg to advance to the semi-finals with a 3-1 aggregate win on Wednesday.
Messi Bouli drew East Bengal level on aggregate in the first minute before Lalchungnunga was sent off midway through the first half with Altymyrat Annadurdyyez then settling the tie with two late goals.
East Bengal got off to a dream start, drawing level on aggregate within a minute of the opening whistle after Arkadag goalkeeper Rausl Charyyev could only parry Dimitiros Diamantakos’ strike into the path of Bouli, who gleefully tucked home the rebound.
Chances continued to fall the way of the visiting side and they nearly doubled their advantage in the 17th minute when Diamantakos produced a surging run through the middle but saw his low shot crash against the post with Richard Celis unable to convert the rebound.
Arkadag looked to regain the advantage but Shanazar Tirkishov dragged his shot wide from just inside the box before an injury to defender Ybrayym Mammedov in the 30th minute saw him replaced by Berdimyrat Rejebov.
The Turkmenistan champions were given a lifeline three minutes later when East Bengal went down to 10 men after Lalchungnunga was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Yazgylych Gurbanov.
Despite playing with a man less, East Bengal were still creating chances with their fast breaks, going close in the 52nd minute when Celis failed to get his header on target off Diamantakos’ cross.
Arkadag increased their intensity as the second half wore on with Shamammet Hydyrow forcing a finger tip save from Prabhsukhan Gill from a free-kick in the 76th as they chased an equaliser.
The home side’s persistence finally paid off in the 89th minute when Annadurdyyev converted from the spot after Tirkishov had been bundled over by Sauvik Chakrabarti.
Annadurdyyev made sure of the win when he made a lung bursting run in the eighth minute of added time to sweep home from 13 yards out to take Arkadag through to the semi-finals.
AFC Media
Be First to Comment