East Bengal held 2–2 by Al Hussein after taking a two-goal lead

East Bengal began their 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two campaign with a 2–2 draw against Jordan's Al Hussein on Wednesday, 16 September, at Amman International Stadium. The Indian side went into the interval two goals ahead, but the hosts recovered to leave both teams with a point in Group D. The result is confirmed in the AFC's official match report.

How the two-goal advantage disappeared

Dani Ramírez put East Bengal ahead early, and Anwar Ali's close-range header doubled the lead before the break. Al Hussein then answered through Mahmoud Al Mardi and Ahmad Assaf. NDTV Sports' match coverage describes Assaf meeting a cross from Obieda Al Namarnah for the equaliser and the home side continuing to seek a winner before the final whistle.

The Indian club therefore left Amman unbeaten, but without converting a strong position into a victory. That tension explains the result better than either an entirely celebratory or entirely negative reading: an away point was secured, while two additional points slipped out of reach.

What the opening result means

Group D also contains Iraq's Al Shorta and Oman's Al Seeb. The top two teams progress to the knockout stage, according to NDTV's competition guide accompanying its coverage. One match cannot determine that race, but it gives East Bengal a result to build on and a clear area for review: how to protect an advantage after the interval.

Our assessment is that the useful question for the coming games is whether East Bengal can pair their ability to score with greater control when an opponent responds. Wednesday supplied encouraging moments in attack and a reminder that a two-goal cushion can disappear. The next group results will give a fuller picture of what this opening point is worth.