East Bengal in motion vs Paro FC.© East Bengal
East Bengal kicked off their AFC Challenge League marketing campaign with an exciting 2-2 draw in opposition to Bhutan’s Paro FC, salvaging an important level because of Dimitrios Diamantakos’ second-half equaliser. The Super Cup champions struck early via Madih Talal, who transformed Saul Crespo’s exact cutback within the fifth minute to place East Bengal within the lead. However, the benefit was short-lived as the house aspect responded simply three minutes later with a William Opoku penalty after Evans Asante drew a foul from Anwar Ali within the field.
With the sport evenly poised, Paro seized momentum, maintaining East Bengal’s defence on their toes.
Koki Narita’s long-range effort and Tomoyuki Unno’s deflected shot examined Prabhsukhan Gill, who stood agency.
Paro’s persistence paid off in stoppage time, when Asante capitalised on a swift counterattack, sprinting from midfield to fit previous Gill and ship the hosts into the break 2-1 up.
In the second-half, East Bengal pushed ahead in the hunt for an equaliser.
Kazuo Homma almost prolonged Paro’s lead with a close-range header earlier than Diamantakos responded, firing extensive from simply exterior the field.
But the Greek ahead made no mistake together with his subsequent alternative within the 69th minute, coolly ending Nandhakumar Sekar’s pinpoint cross after a surging run down the fitting.
The Indian Super League aspect now sit up for their subsequent Group A conflict in opposition to Bangladesh’s Bashundhara Kings on Tuesday, aiming to construct on this hard-earned draw.
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