2. East Bengal’s AFC cup run
With the Indian national team failing to impress at international level the record-breaking run of East Bengal to the AFC Cup semi-finals was very encouraging. The red-and-gold brigade became the first Indian club to top an AFC Cup group under Trevor Morgan and they achieved that without losing a match. Morgan guided them to the quarter-finals before parting ways in May and then East Bengal reached the last four under Brazilian Marcos Falopa after beating Indonesia’s Semen Padang 2-1 on aggregate in the last eight. The Kolkata club had emulated Dempo’s 2008 feat but couldn’t surpass it as they were beaten in the semis by eventual champions Kuwait SC. East Bengal had a perfect home record until the semis and their nine match unbeaten run is the joint-fourth best streak in the competition’s history.