When did East Bengal last play in Asia before its AFC Champions League 2 Prelims match against Altyn Asyr?

The last time East Bengal played in an AFC competition was in the 2015 AFC Cup, where it got eliminated from the group stages after finishing third with seven points.

East Bengal’s Cleiton Silva in a training session ahead of its AFC Champions League 2 prelims match against Altyn Asyr. | Photo Credit: East Bengal Media

East Bengal returns to Asian football after nine years as it takes on Turkmenistan club Altyn Asyr on Wednesday, August 14, in an AFC Champions League 2 Prelims match at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium).

The Red and Gold won the Kalinga Super Cup 2024, beating Odisha FC 3-2 in extra-time, to secure a spot in the preliminary stage of Asian Champions League 2. Now, they will play Altyn Asyr to secure a spot in the group stages. 

If East Bengal manages to secure a spot in the group stages, it will be placed in Pot 4 from the West Asia region. It will join Al Wehdat of Jordan, FC Ravshan of Tajikistan, and the winner between Bahrain’s Al Ahli and Kuwait SC. 

When did East Bengal last play in an AFC competition?

The last time East Bengal played in an AFC competition was in the 2015 AFC Cup, which has been renamed to the AFC Champions League 2 as per the new format. 

The Red and Gold qualified for the 2015 AFC Cup after finishing runner-up in the 2013-14 I-League season, making it their eighth qualification in the AFC Cup. 

They were paired in Group F alongside Johor Darul Ta’zim of Malaysia, Kitchee of Hong Kong and Balestier Khalsa of Singapore.

East Bengal opened its campaign with a 4-1 loss against Johor, with Ranty Martins scoring the only goal in the match for the Kolkata club. In the next game, it bettered its performance with a 1-1 draw against 2014–15 Hong Kong Premier League champion Kitchee. However, it again suffered a 2-1 loss against Khalsa in an away match in Singapore. 

The Red and Gold returned strongly with a 2-1 win against Khalsa in the return fixture but followed it up with a 1-0 loss against Johor and a 2-2 draw against Kitchee in the last group stage match. 

East Bengal was eliminated from the tournament after finishing third in the group with five points.

When did East Bengal’s arch-rival Mohun Bagan Super Giant last play in an AFC competition? 

Mohun Bagan Super Giant has been more familiar with Asian football, with the Mariners playing in the AFC Cup last season. They finished third in Group D of the AFC Cup with seven points.