They had only around 10-day preparation before going to Ahmadabad. They hardly got opportunity to play any quality preparatory match before departure. Even due to shortage of time and adequate fund the team had to leave without any foreign footballer. 

Their coach Sujata Kar, former Indian international, did the only thing, inducing the belief to the players who were mainly from different districts of Bengal along with a couple of energetic footballers from the North-East. 

Defying all odds, East Bengal, in their maiden venture in the ongoing Indian Women’s League (IWL) have qualified for the quarter-finals by virtue of winning 1-0 against HOPS FC in our final Group A match at Ahmedabad’s TransStadia. Captain Ratna Halder, who scored from the spot in the 35th minute, has been adjudged the Player of the Match. East Bengal have amassed 13 points from their seven group stage matches (four wins, one draw and two defeats) and are currently placed second in Group A.