East Bengal opened the scoring against Turkmen side Altyn Asyr when David Lalhansanga scored for the Red-and-Gold Brigade in the seventh minute, in their AFC Champions League 2 preliminary round match in Kolkata on Wednesday.
Lalhlansanga, the top scorer in last year’s Calcutta Football League and Durand Cup, joined East Bengal on a three-year deal, before the 2024-25 season. He also played a pivotal role in Mohammedan Sporting Club’s maiden I-League triumph with five goals and two assists.
Hailing from Mizoram, Lalhlansanga rose through Aizawl FC’s youth ranks before being promoted to Aizawl’s first team in the 2019-20 season. After spending three seasons with the Mizoram capital side, David moved to Mohammedan Sporting Club in 2023.
The 22-year-old made an immediate impact in the Durand Cup, winning the Golden Boot award with six goals and one assist in just three matches, including four goals in a group stage match against Jamshedpur FC.
Recently, Lalhlansanga was selected to be part of the Indian squad that faced Kuwait and Qatar in Round 2 of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers earlier this month.
East Bengal FC Head Coach Carles Cuadrat said, “David is one of our Indian recruits whom we had been trying hard to sign for a long time. He was the leading scorer in the Durand Cup and the CFL, which grabbed my attention. From that moment he became a target for our future plans. I am extremely happy to welcome a gem like him.”
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