Star East Bengal forward David Lalhlansanga Hmar was the team’s star performer on Tuesday against Iraq’s Al Shorta and scored a brace in his side’s 2-3 loss in the AFC Champions League 2 match at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
David, who netted a hat-trick in the IFA Shield semifinal against NorthEast United, has emerged as a dependable goalscoring option for the Red-and-Gold Brigade this season.
Born in Mizoram in November 2001, David honed his skills in Aizawl FC’s youth academy before making his professional debut for the club in the 2020-21 I-League season.
David netted five goals in 26 appearances for Aizawl FC in India’s then top-flight league before joining Mohammedan Sporting two years later.
David found his scoring touch at the club,
netting 23 goals in the Calcutta Football League as the Black Panthers clinched their third successive CFL title.
David also played a key role in Mohammedan Sporting’s I-League triumph in the 2023-24 season, helping the club become the first to earn promotion to the Indian Super League.
David had earlier clinched the Durand Cup Golden Boot in 2023, scoring six goals in just three games.
David joined East Bengal in 2024 on a three-year deal but struggled to bag regular first-team chances. But since Antonio Lopez Habas took charge of the club this summer, David appears to have found greater freedom in his game.
David has already scored 10 goals across all competitions for the Indian Super League champions, including three in continental competitions.
On Tuesday, David struck twice, scoring in the eighth minute and just before half-time to put East Bengal in the driver’s seat. But Al Shorta staged a comeback through Ahmed Yahya, Hussein Al Saedi and Kingsley Kuku to snatch the lead.
Despite the Iraqi team being reduced to 10 men late in the match, East Bengal couldn’t mount a comeback.
The loss will be a bitter pill to swallow for the hosts, given the position they had put themselves in.
