East Bengal beat Phnom Penh FC 1-0 in AFC Women''s League preliminary stage

Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Aug 25 (PTI) Ugandan striker Fazila Ikwaput struck the decisive goal as East Bengal began their AFC Women’s Champions League campaign with a 1-0 victory over Cambodia’s Phnom Penh Crown FC in a Group E clash here on Monday.

Ikwaput found the net in the second half to secure full points for the home side.

Phnom Penh Crown will next face Hong Kong’s Kitchee SC on Thursday, while East Bengal take on the same opponents on Sunday.

Both sides had equal chances to take the lead but it was East Bengal who came close to scoring.

Fazila thought she had given East Bengal the lead in the 42nd minute but her goal was ruled out for offside as the match remained goalless going into the break.

The Indian side continued to dominate in the second half with Fazila again almost catching Phnom Peng Crown by surprise in the 47th minute but keeper Chea Fariya managed to parry the ball away.

A minute later, Sulanjana Raul got a shooting chance from inside the box but botched her effort.

East Bengal increased the intensity with Fazila getting to the end of a lobbed ball only to be stopped by Chea in the 52nd minute, while Sangita Basfore failed to find the target from distance.

The goal finally arrived for East Bengal in the 70th minute when Resty Nanziri found Fazila with a pin-point cross, who slotted the ball home from close range.

Phnom Penh Crown tried to claw their way back but their efforts fell flat with Chea shown a straight red card for her challenge on Fazila in the fifth minute of added time. PTI SSC SSC ATK