Ho Chi Minh City Women's FC lost their AFC Women's Champions League 2026/27 opener 2-1 to East Bengal in Kolkata on 1 November. According to the AFC's match report, Ugandan forward Fazila Ikwaput scored both goals for the Indian hosts in the first half before Dau Nguyen Quynh Anh pulled one back around the 60th minute.
How the game went
Ngo Thi Hong Nhung hit the bar with a volley early on, but East Bengal took control. The AFC says Ikwaput converted a 20th-minute penalty after a video review caught Rielly Chesna handling the ball while trying to stop her. Olivia Anokye then hit the crossbar from distance, and on 34 minutes Ikwaput pounced on a Tanaka Hitomi header, held off Chesna and beat goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh.
Head coach Nguyen Duc Canh took off captain Huynh Nhu and Chesna early in the second half for Quynh Anh and Chuong Thi Kieu. The switch worked: Quynh Anh dived to head in Tran Thi Thu Xuan's free-kick. Cu Thi Huynh Nhu made a vital sliding block to deny Ikwaput on 74 minutes, but the Vietnamese champions could not find an equaliser.
The foreign-player gap
Tuoi Tre reports that East Bengal started six foreign players: Adama Alhassan, Anoma Opoku and Olivia Anokye from Ghana, Japan's Hitomi Tanaka and Ugandan forwards Ikwaput and Resty Nanziri. Ho Chi Minh City started only two of their three imports, American centre-backs Kayla Siddiqi and Chesna, with Brazilian forward Joelma Gabriel coming on in the 86th minute.
Group B schedule, compiled by KBVN+ from the AFC, Tuoi Tre and SGGP:
| Date | Match | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 November | April 25 (DPR Korea) 2-1 Hwacheon KSPO (Korea Republic) | Played |
| 1 November | East Bengal 2-1 Ho Chi Minh City | Played |
| 4 November | Ho Chi Minh City v April 25 | DPR Korea runners-up |
| 7 November | Ho Chi Minh City v Hwacheon KSPO | Korean champions |
Can they still qualify?
According to Bongda24h, the 12 teams are split into 3 groups, with the top two in each group and the two best third-placed sides reaching the quarter-finals. Tuoi Tre believes losing to their most direct rival leaves the club with very little chance, since the other two opponents are stronger. This is the club's 3rd appearance in the competition after an eighth straight national title. The club had set a bonus for every win (see our report on the 10,000 USD win bonus).
What comes next
Ho Chi Minh City face April 25 on 4 November and Hwacheon KSPO on 7 November, and probably need points from both to stay in contention. More at Vietnam football news.