Bengaluru FC wreak havoc at home against Paro FC in AFC Cup return leg

Published at :February 13, 2020 at 3:21 AM

Modified at :December 13, 2023 at 1:01 PM

(Courtesy : BFC Media)

Semboi Haokip scored four goals for the Blues.

Bengaluru FC stormed into the AFC Cup 2020 Play-off after defeating Bhutan’s Paro FC 9-1 in their Preliminary Round 2 return leg tie on Wednesday, advancing 10-1 on aggregate. Bengaluru went into the tie 1-0 ahead after last week’s first leg in Thimpu but fired on all cylinders on Wednesday as the Indian Super League champions raced to a 4-1 lead at half time at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium before registering their highest ever competitive win. [KH_ADWORDS type="3" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS] Bengaluru will play Maziya Sports & Recreation Club in the Play-off next week,with the Maldives club advancing on away goals after their two-leg Preliminary Round 2 tie with Abahani Limited Dhaka of Bangladesh ended 2-2 on aggregate. Bengaluru took only six minutes to open their account as Erik Paartalu’s long ball found Semboi Haokip, who stabbed home at the second attempt. The home side doubled their lead in the 14th minute after Juanan Gonzalez nodded home Francisco Nili’s cross into the top corner. Paro, however, pulled one back two minutes later after former Bengaluru winger Chencho Gyeltshen dribbled past Gursimrat Singh Gill before firing into the top corner. [KH_ADWORDS type="4" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS] Paro’s celebrations were cut short as Haokip doubled his tally in the 26th minute when he rose high to nod past Paro goalkeeper Tobgay following Nili’s cross. Deshorn Brown etched his name on the scoresheet just before the half-hour mark after finishing off Suresh Singh Wangjam’s lay-off from inside the area as Bengaluru took a 4-1 lead into the break. Bengaluru kept their foot on the pedal when the match resumed and scored their fifth goal in the 54th minute after Harmanjot Singh Khabra’s quick throw-in found Nili, with the Spaniard setting up Brown to finish. Brown sealed his hat-trick in the 64th minute, finishing off a pass from midfielder Kean Lewis to put Bengaluru 6-1 up. The Jamaican forward turned provider three minutes later as he set up Haokip for his hat-trick. [KH_RELATED_NEWS title="Related News | Article Continues Below"][/KH_RELATED_NEWS] There was more to come as Bengaluru FC substitute Amay Avinash Morajkar cut the ball back for Haokip, who laid it off for Nili to strike it beyond the reach of Paro FC goalkeeper Tobgay in the 79th minute. Haokip then capped a fine individual performance by scoring his fourth and Bengaluru’s ninth goal in the 85th minute, finishing off substitute Leon Agustine Asokan’s pass as Bengaluru marched into the Play-off.