AFC Cup: Dempo move on, East Bengal are out

The group stage of the 2011 AFC Cup ended yesterday with I-League champions Dempo SC making it to the knockout pre-quarterfinals, while Federation Cup winners East Bengal Club were eliminated. And it has been another roller-coaster continental football season so far for India's top clubs.

In the end Dempo did make it, but one should not forget the 9-0 trashing at the hands of Uzbek side Nasaf, which is the worst ever defeat in AFC Cup history. Still Dempo were better then Al Ansar of Lebanon and Yemen's Al Tilal to go through as the second placed team in the group.

East Bengal after their sensational opening day 4-4 draw against Thailand's Chonburi FC, which was a match which they initially could have won but should have lost thereafter, never looked a side who could move on from the group stage. The red-and-gold drew all their home matches, but lost all their away games to finish fourth and bottom of their group.

Dempo SC now have to travel to Iraq to face Duhok SC at their home ground on May 24 as the pre-quarterfinals in the AFC Cup are a one-off match. The Iraqis topped a very tight Group C where Duhok SC along with Jordan's Al Faisaly and Ai Jaish of Syria all had 11 points from three wins, two draws and a loss.


Group A - Dempo results
01-Mar-2011: Dempo SC 2-1 Al Tilal, Yemen
15-Mar-2011: Al Ansar, Lebanon 2-0 Dempo SC
12-Apr-2011: Dempo SC 0-4 Nasaf, Uzbekistan
27-Apr-2011: Nasaf, Uzbekistan 9-0 Dempo SC
04-May-2011: Al Tilal, Yemen 2-2 Dempo SC (played in Goa due to political unrest in Yemen)
11-May-2011: Dempo SC 2-1 Al Ansar, Lebanon

Dempo finished second with seven points (2 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses) and 6:19 goals


Group H - East Bengal Club results
02-Mar-2011: East Bengal Club 4-4 Choburi FC, Thailand
16-Mar-2011: Persipura Jayapura, Indonesia 4-1 East Bengal Club
13-Apr-2011: South China, Hongkong 1-0 East Bengal Club
26-Apr-2011: East Bengal Club 3-3 South China, Hongkong (played in Cuttack due to West Bengal elections)
03-May-2011: Choburi FC, Thailand 4-0 East Bengal Club
10-May-2011: East Bengal Club 1-1 Persipura Jayapura, Indonesia


East Bengal finished bottom of their group with three points (0 wins, 3 draws, 3 losses) and 9:17 goals