East Bengal create history, become first Indian team to win multiple AFC Women's Champions League games after beating Ho Chi Minh City

Fazila Ikwaput scored twice as East Bengal FC began their AFC Women's Champions League campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City Women's FC in a Group B contest here on Sunday.

The win also made East Bengal the first Indian club to register multiple victories in the tournament's group stage, having beaten Iran's Bam Khatoon FC 3-1 in the previous edition.

The Indian side will next take on Korea Republic's Hwacheon KSPO WFC on Wednesday, while Ho Chi Minh City will face DPR Korea's 4.25 SC.

Hwacheon KSPO had earlier suffered a 1-2 defeat against the DPR Korea outfit.

Both teams created opportunities in an evenly contested opening spell. Ho Chi Minh City came close to taking the lead when Ngo Thi Hong Nhung's volley struck the crossbar, while Resty Naziri missed from close range at the other end.

East Bengal broke the deadlock in the 20th minute after Football Video Support detected a handball by Rielly Chesna while attempting to stop Ikwaput's forward run.

The Ugandan striker converted the resulting penalty to put the Indian side ahead.

East Bengal nearly doubled their lead eight minutes later, but Olivia Anokye's long-range effort crashed against the crossbar.

The Kolkata side eventually extended their advantage in the 34th minute.

Ikwaput capitalised on Tanaka Hitomi's powerful header, held off Chesna and calmly slotted past the advancing goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh to complete her brace.

Ho Chi Minh City made a determined attempt to turn the contest around after the break and found a lifeline in the 60th minute.

Tran Thi Thu Xuan's free-kick created confusion inside the East Bengal penalty area, allowing substitute Dau Nguyen Quynh Anh to dive in and head the ball home.

The Vietnamese side continued to press for an equaliser, but East Bengal defended resolutely.

Their best chance to restore a two-goal cushion came in the 74th minute when Anokye set up Ikwaput for a tap-in, only for Cu Thi Huynh Nhu to produce a crucial sliding block.

Ho Chi Minh City pushed forward in the closing stages but could not find another breakthrough as East Bengal held on to secure all three points and make a winning start to their continental campaign.