To compete with the best in Asia, you must be prepared to play the best: Anthony Andrews

East Bengal Women head coach Anthony Andrews knows exactly what awaits his side when they return to the AFC Women’s Champions League group stage in November.

Having guided the Moshal Girls to the group stage for a second consecutive season, Andrews could hardly have asked for an easy route. East Bengal have been drawn alongside Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, South Korea’s Hwacheon KSPO and North Korea’s 4.25 SC in Group B, with all three games set to be played in Kolkata.

But rather than viewing the draw with apprehension, Andrews sees it as an opportunity for East Bengal to measure themselves against some of the best clubs in Asian women’s football.

“My first reaction was excitement,” Andrews told The Bridge. “At this level, there are no easy groups. We have been drawn against three very different opponents, all with strong football cultures and experience.”

Ho Chi Minh City bring continental experience, Hwacheon KSPO arrive as champions of a highly competitive South Korean league, while 4.25 SC enter the group stage after an impressive preliminary-round campaign.

For Andrews, that is precisely what makes the challenge appealing.

“If you want to compete with the best in Asia, you must be prepared to play the best,” he said.

East Bengal will begin their group-stage campaign against Ho Chi Minh City on November 1, before facing Hwacheon KSPO three days later and 4.25 SC on November 7. The demanding schedule means there is little room for complacency, or even much time to recover.

Andrews does not believe the order of the fixtures gives his team a particularly easy or difficult route.

“At this stage, I do not think there is a perfect order. Every match is difficult,” he said.

The opening fixture, however, will immediately provide East Bengal with a stern examination against a side accustomed to continental football.

“Opening against Ho Chi Minh City allows us to immediately measure ourselves against a team with strong continental experience,” Andrews explained.

With three matches in seven days, squad management will be just as important as tactical preparation.

“The turnaround between games will be demanding, so squad management and recovery will be critical,” he said. “We have to approach the tournament one game at a time and make smart decisions based on performances, fitness levels, and the needs of the team.”

‘Hosting is definitely an advantage’

One significant difference from last season will be the venue.

For the first time, the AFC Women’s Champions League group stage will be hosted in India, with East Bengal playing all three matches in Kolkata. Andrews believes that could prove valuable, particularly given the compressed schedule.

“Hosting is definitely an advantage, but only if we make the most of it,” he said.

The benefits, according to the East Bengal coach, extend beyond the familiar surroundings.

“We know the environment, the facilities, the climate, and we avoid the fatigue that comes with long travel,” Andrews said.

That familiarity could become increasingly important as the tournament progresses.

“I think the biggest benefit comes over the course of the tournament rather than in a single moment. When you are playing three high-intensity matches in a week, familiarity and recovery can make a difference.”

Yet Andrews is careful not to overstate the impact of home advantage.

“Football matches are won by performance levels, not by venue alone. We still have to earn every result,” he said.

The coach will also be hoping the home crowd plays its part.

East Bengal’s supporters have developed a strong connection with the women’s team following their remarkable rise over the past two seasons, which has seen the club win back-to-back Indian Women’s League titles and the inaugural SAFF Women’s Club Championship.

Andrews wants the supporters to embrace the occasion.

“We know how passionate East Bengal supporters are, and we hope they come out in large numbers to support the team,” he said.

For him, the significance goes beyond East Bengal. “Asian competition should be a celebration of football in Kolkata.”

Rather than focusing on putting pressure on visiting teams, Andrews wants the atmosphere to lift his own players.

“Our focus is on creating an environment that inspires our players rather than worrying about making opponents uncomfortable,” he said. “If the stadium is full of energy and support, that naturally gives our players an extra boost.”

Learning from Wuhan

East Bengal are no strangers to the demands of continental football.

Last season, they became the first Indian club to win an AFC Women’s Champions League group-stage match when they defeated Bam Khatoon 3-1 in Wuhan. They ultimately finished third in their group after defeats to Wuhan Jiangda and Nasaf, narrowly missing out on qualification for the knockout stage.

Those experiences, Andrews believes, have given his players a valuable reference point heading into another continental campaign.

“We are always looking for ways to challenge and develop the players, and those experiences were valuable,” he said.

The lessons from Wuhan have also shaped the team's preparation.

“From Wuhan, one lesson was that small moments decide matches at this level,” Andrews said.

That is an area East Bengal will look to improve upon, particularly against opponents with greater continental experience.

“We want to improve our ability to sustain intensity, particularly without the ball, and be more efficient in key moments in both boxes,” he explained. “Against top Asian opposition, margins are very small.”

East Bengal enter this season's competition with greater continental experience and an even stronger domestic record. Their preliminary-round campaign in Malaysia was emphatic: three wins, 18 goals scored and none conceded.

But Andrews is refusing to let that momentum translate into premature expectations.

Asked whether the quarter-finals are already an ambition, his response was unequivocal.

“No. That would be getting ahead of ourselves.”

The ambition, naturally, remains.

“But our full focus is on November,” he said. “We have three very difficult matches ahead of us, and we have earned the right to compete against some of Asia’s strongest clubs.”

For a coach who has already delivered four IWL titles, two with Gokulam Kerala and two with East Bengal, as well as East Bengal’s historic SAFF Women’s Club Championship triumph, the next challenge is clear.

“Once the group stage is over, then we can talk about quarter-finals,” Andrews said. “Right now, all our attention is on preparing as well as possible for the challenge in front of us.”

For the Moshal Girls, November represents another opportunity to test how far Indian women’s club football can go on the continental stage. And their coach appears more than ready for the challenge.