"We had opportunities to win that game" - Carles Cuadrat and East Bengal back in Asia and promise a lot
In the pre-match press conference, coach Carles Cuadrat couldn’t stop talking about the force that Altyn Asyr was. But after the match, the Spaniard was left gushing over his team. From hope to promise – that’s how East Bengal turned things around during their 2-3 loss in the AFC Champions League Two preliminary stage at the Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday.
Following the script of the last couple of seasons, David Lalhlansanga’s early goal was effortlessly wiped out by the Turkmenistan side. But the Red and Gold brigade were also without their marquee players. Star defender Anwar Ali had just joined the club, while Cuadrat confirmed that Dimitrios Diamantakos, Cleiton Silva and Jeakson Singh were not fit to play more than 45 minutes. Hector Yuste is still yet to arrive.
“We are a team under construction. We couldn’t use a lot of our players that we have signed because they were not available for various reasons. We had to finish the game with two youngsters like Aman CK and Vishnu PV. There were some players like Dimi and Jeakson and Cleiton, and they were not ready to play more than 45 minutes. So we were managing all the situations in a way that we fought for the goal till the end and put them under pressure. And I am very positive.
"I feel that we are building a team that can give a lot of confidence to our supporters. Unfortunately, we are not going to play Champions League Two but, we are going to play Challenge. And the AFC Challenge League can give us a lot of opportunity to show that we can fight for trophies,” Carles Cuadrat told reporters in the post-match presser.
The first half was all about Altyn Asyr peppering East Bengal with waves of attacks. Maintaining a high line, the 2018 AFC Cup runners-up penetrated the hosts at will and made getting behind the defence seem like a work of art.
Seconds after Selim Nurmuradov hit the side netting, skipper Ahmet Atayev’s perfectly weighed long ball from inside his own half found Myrat Annayev – the other part of the dangerous midfield duo – who simply chipped the ball into the net past Prabhsukhan Singh Gill who was ball-watching.
Nurmuradov would have his redemption just 10 minutes later when his free-kick beat the East Bengal goalie, again frozen, this time on his right. Altym Asyr was up 2-1 in the 28th minute and looked hungry for more. But Cuadrat’s boys somehow held on to go into the break trailing by a goal.
The match was far from over, though. Diamantakos and Jeakson emerged at the touchline and started warming up, ready to hit their straps in the second half. But the backline was still a concern. Mark Zothanpuia’s weak clearance gave away the ball to their No. 10 Rahman Myratberdiyev. It proved to be a double whammy for the former Hyderabad FC man as he then failed to mark Annayev, whose deflected effort was bundled home by forward Mihail Titov.
But Cuadrat’s two substitutions indeed brought about a visible shift in the flow of the game. From Altyn Asyr dominating possession and making frequent interceptions, it became end-to-end. It was only a matter of time before East Bengal reduced the deficit.
And captain Saul Crespo, standing in for an injured Cleiton Silva, took it upon himself. Receiving the ball on the left, the 28-year-old Spaniard dropped his shoulders and waltzed past three defenders into the box, fell a fourth, before opening his chest and curling a shot into the far corner.
The home team suddenly found an extra gear, miles in their legs. Nandhakumar Sekar charged up and down the pitch, Diamantakos frequently found himself in front of goal, and Madih Talal went about supplying balls to everyone. And the crowd certainly found their roar back.
“I said before the game that this was our first test in Asia in nine years and we had to see what we could do. And I think we had opportunities to win that game today, but we all know Altyn Asyr is a very good team with very good players,” Carles Cuadrat said, almost lamenting, but with a sense of pride.
East Bengal had two gilt-edged chances. Nandha’s unbridled energy was there to be seen when he wrested possession near his own box and ran for the hills, before releasing Talal on the left. The Frenchman’s tame cross towards goal almost helped equalise as Ruslan Tajiyev cleared it onto the crossbar and back.
With 10 minutes remaining on the clock, Lalchungnunga’s long throw from near the baseline was flicked on by Hijazi Maher which substitute Cleiton kicked out of the goalkeeper’s grasp and into the net. But the celebrations were shortlived as referee Alexander King blew the whistle with Batyr Babayev grimacing in pain.
It all started with David Lalhlansanga in the seventh minute. Talal cut open the Altyn Asyr defence with a wonderful through to Nandha, who dribbled past Soyunov Shohrat and curled the ball to David’s head. The AIFF Emerging Player of the Year had his header parried onto the bar but, the visitors’ inability to clear the lines handed the Manipuri with an easy tap-in.
“He had a good season at Mohammedan. But this was his first experience in AFC competition, much like Mark, Nandha and a lot of other players. But I think they have balance in their game which came into the match plan that we prepared. They are powerful, they have been trying to shoot from long distance. So we have been working a lot of things and I saw those things on the pitch.
“David is learning a lot, he knows that this is his job. So is Mark. Even Provat Lakra – he is a new player and we are trying a lot of things. So the new players are getting the idea of what we need from them and I am very happy with the work the team has been putting in,” Carles Cuadrat heaped praise on his rejuvenated squad.
In the other playoff, Kuwait SC beat Bahrain’s Al Ahli 1-0 to book the final and 32nd slot in the newly-branded AFC Champions League Two.
"We can pose a challenge in the Challenge League group stage" - Carles Cuadrat
East Bengal will still play continental football since finishing third in Group F in the now-rechristened AFC Cup in 2014/15. They will be a part of the brand new AFC Challenge League.
Having matched AFC Cup regulars Altyn Asyr toe-to-toe, the Torchbearers will find it easier to deal with lower-ranked teams in the third tier men’s AFC club competition. Carles Cuadrat believes they can make the knockouts.
“With the team we have at the moment, maybe the Challenge League is a competition with which we can show our level and keep going as a team step by step. We have been trusting a lot of young players. I am not too sure, but maybe, and with the help of our supporters, we can pose a challenge in the Challenge League group stage. It’s going to be tricky with three games in a period of nine or 10 days.
“We have a lot of injuries at the moment but, hopefully, they are going to be physically more ready after two months. We can fight to be the first team in our group. It’s going to be difficult, for sure, because four teams will play and only one will go ahead. So let’s try to prepare ourselves and take advantage of the Challenge League,” the 55-year-old concluded.
The heavens opened up as the match went into seven minutes of added time. The rain became heavier by the time the final whistle blew. The Altyn Asyr bench sprinted onto the pitch, while the East Bengal players went for cover inside the tunnel. It was then that Cuadrat summoned them back on the field.
They walked towards a section of the partisan crowd and clapped in appreciation of their unfettered support. The most beautiful moment of the night that saw hope get reciprocated with promise, and more promise. The intensifying ‘East Bengal, East Bengal’ chants deafened out the sound of rain.