How Anthony Andrews led East Bengal to India’s first AFC Women's Champions League group-stage win

Long before the first whistle blew in Wuhan and long before the red-and-gold flag was unfurled on a picturesque evening in the Chinese city, Emami East Bengal women already knew what they were walking into.

When a club of this stature, a club that has carried a century of noise, rage, romance, and rebellion on its shoulders, qualifies for the AFC Women’s Champions League, they don’t just step into a competition. They walk into a storm of expectations. 

And this time, the storm wasn’t just from Kolkata. It was from the entire country. Because this is no ordinary phase for Indian women’s football.

But when East Bengal qualified for the AFC Women’s Champions League, expectations outside the dressing room were modest.

A few days after returning from Wuhan, head coach Anthony Andrews sat down for an exclusive conversation with The Bridge, reflecting on the journey that carried his team to Asia’s biggest stage.

Indian clubs had struggled at this level before and Odisha FC’s difficult run in the previous edition made supporters wary.

But inside the East Bengal camp, the approach was completely different.

"This planning was done even before I joined the club," says head coach Anthony Andrews. "In my first year, every time we spoke, we spoke only about AFC.

"Even in the middle of IWL, when we lost the second game against Gokulam, we were still thinking about the AFC Champions League. That was the entire motivation from the start," he adds.

They entered the preliminary round completely aware that they had weaknesses. But they were fully intent on earning their place in the group stage.

"We did have our own weaknesses," Andrews admits.

"But we got through, and we won the preliminary round. Nobody trusted us to do something good at the global stage.

"That’s the history of what other Indian clubs have done, including myself. With Gokulam, in my first AFC game, I conceded eight goals against Urawa Red Diamonds," he added.

The Asian campaign with Gokulam had given him insight into the competition, particularly the gap in tempo, decision-making, and tactical structure.

"I was aware of the competition we would face," he says. "When people did not believe, I think we proved we deserved that spot in the group stage."

The expectations were low. The results were not.

A historic win, and a brutal lesson

"Now, when we reached the group stage," Andrews says, "nobody believed that we would win even one game. People expected the score lines to be very big. Odisha struggled last season, and they were conceding five-plus in every game. The quality gap is different."

Emami East Bengal chose to change the narrative.

"Our idea was to play with pride and at the same time not to concede too many," he explains. "There is a big quality difference.

"Tactically, we are way behind, technically we are way behind, and physically also. If you see Uzbekistan or China, even though they were not as physical as people think, the ball was moving faster."

Still, the preparation was meticulous.

"Almost four weeks we trained with the boys; U14s and U17s,  to try and match the physical side," Andrews recalls.

The preparation paid off with a historic win over Bam Khatoon, India’s first-ever AWCL group-stage victory.

Then came Wuhan Jiangda, the defending champions. East Bengal conceded just two goals, a performance very few expected, especially against a full-strength side.

But the most defining moment of the campaign came in the final match, when a 92nd-minute goal ended their qualification hopes.

"We know we have done blunders," Andrews admits.

"We know the last two games did not work the way we wanted, but that’s okay. That’s a learning curve. Conceding that last goal in the last minute and 30 seconds changed the entire dimension. Otherwise, we would have qualified."

Despite the exit, he remains proud of what the group achieved.

"When nobody expected us to even win the prelims, or reach the group stage, or win a single game, we did all three."

The gap is clear, so is the solution

Ask Andrews for one lesson from the Champions League, and he is straightforward.

"We need more game time. We need more training time."

For him, the gap India faces is not one of effort or desire, but structure.

"What we learned in the  AFC Champions League is that other teams were tactically too strong. Their movement was so good that by the time they make a decision and finish the move, our girls are just starting to decide. If I don’t put them in that situation even in training, how can I expect them to do better there?"

The lack of strong local opposition is a real challenge.

"We don’t have a tactically strong team here who can create the same situation for us," he rues. "That’s why there was so much emotional toll. Even the players realised how far we are."

Still, Andrews sees the campaign as a constructive step, not a setback.

"The journey was very productive. A lot of learning. If we get a chance next season, we will try to fix the problems, try to win more games, and repair the mistakes we made."

On the National Team: “We’re on the right track”

India’s senior, U20, and U17 women’s teams have all qualified for the AFC Asian Cup, something that hasn’t happened in over two decades. Andrews believes this rise is closely linked to the work the IWL clubs are doing.

"All the clubs that are involved in contributing play a big part in the development of these players," he says.

"It’s not an easy task for any club to work with them for 12 months, take care of fitness, prepare them, make them sound technically and tactically, pay them, and then contribute to the national team. We should appreciate all the clubs doing that."

He credits the national team staff as well.

"This shows the hard work and the belief in the coaching staff. If you have the right people there, you will get results. I hope they continue the same thing."

And his message is clear: women’s football cannot be treated like the men’s game.

"The game is very different. People think anybody can be a coach in the women’s team because they have tactical knowledge or certifications. It is very difficult to manage a women’s team."

As the conversation winds down, Anthony smiles when the topic turns to East Bengal’s famously demanding, fiercely loyal supporters.

"East Bengal fans are always in my heart," he says.

"I’ve received everything from criticism to good messages to bad messages, but they have always been with us whenever we needed them. Keep supporting these girls. They really need you. With your help, I believe we will do something good even this season."