East Bengal’s Lead Fades Under Al Shorta in Kolkata Clash

What happened

East Bengal fell 3-2 to Al Shorta at Kolkata's Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on 13 October, with Abdoul Moumouni sent off at 76 minutes after the visitors had overturned David Hmar's first-half brace.

Why it matters

East Bengal sit third in Group D on one point from two matches and now travel to Oman to face Al Seeb on 27 October with the group still very much open.

Remember this

One first-half head start could not save East Bengal.

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More context & who is affected

East Bengal ended a promising AFC Champions League Two opener with a 3-2 home defeat to Iraq's Al Shorta at Kolkata's Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on 13 October, slipping to third in Group D.

David Lalhlansanga Hmar struck twice in the first half to make it 2-0 - a strike from Hardik Bhatt's pass at eight minutes, then a tap-in off Basim Rashid's back-heel after a Daniel Ramirez free-kick was blocked at 40.

Yahya, Al-Saedi and Kuku struck past Prabhsukhan Singh Gill to reverse it, and Abdoul Moumouni's 76th-minute second yellow gave Kolkata nothing to work with. East Bengal now face Al Seeb away on 27 October.

Final score: 2-3 East Bengal 2, Al Shorta 3 at Kolkata; Al Shorta's second group win.AFC Indian Football Federation Sportstar (The Hindu)
David Hmar's brace: 2 goals First-half goals at the 8th and 40th minutes.AFC Indian Football Federation Sportstar (The Hindu)
Group D standing: 3rd, 1 pt East Bengal after two matches; next up away at Al Seeb on 27 October.AFC Indian Football Federation Sportstar (The Hindu)

Match timeline

13 Oct 2026 - Hmar opens at the 8th minute off a Hardik Bhatt pass.
14' - Ahmed Yahya headers Al Shorta level.
40' - Hmar taps in off a Basim Rashid back-heel after a Daniel Ramirez free-kick is blocked.
51' - Hussein Al-Saedi restores level.
53' - Kingsley Kuku's corner header ricochets off East Bengal goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill into the net.
76' - Abdoul Moumouni's second yellow leaves Al Shorta a man down; East Bengal fail to convert.

East Bengal Supporters · Football Fans

East Bengal drop to third in ACL Two Group D with one point from two matches; a win away at Oman's Al Seeb on 27 October is the club's only realistic route back into contention.

Football Fans

A David Hmar brace is erased in five second-half minutes; Kolkata's squad now faces a tight turnaround before its Oman away fixture.

Indian Football Followers

Indian club football's ninth group stage in Asia's second-tier is underway without a clean opening win, keeping the AIFF's continental ambition under scrutiny.

Reporting fromAFC Indian Football Federation ↗Sportstar (The Hindu) ↗

Sources & verification2 sources · 4 claims

These are the records behind this briefing. Linked reporting is not the same as independent confirmation.