Semboi Haokip: First Indian to score hat-tricks in I-League, ISL & AFC Cup

The forward scored four goals in Blues' emphatic success against the Bhutanese outfit.

Semboi Haokip has become the first Indian footballer to register a hat-trick in the ISL, the I-League and now the AFC Cup too. The 26-year-old added this feather to his cap during Bengaluru FC’s incredible rout over Paro FC as the ISL Champions routed over the Bhutanese team by a margin of 9-1. The goal-scoring proceedings were commenced by Haokip who then went on to score four goals throughout the course of the game, making the most of the opportunity handed over to him by head coach Carles Cuadrat. However, this remarkable streak achieved by the forward started back from the 2014-15 I-League season when Semboi notched a hat-trick against Shillong Lajong FC for Pune FC. [KH_ADWORDS type="4" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS] Later on, he was loaned to FC Goa in the ISL and there he bagged a treble against Mumbai City FC as the Gaurs had piled on a 7-0 scoreline on 17th November 2015. Accordingly, the lad had also become only the second Indian ever to notch a hat-trick in the then newfound ISL. The first footballer to be bestowed upon with that honour was Sunil Chhetri, who had achieved that feat earlier that season with Mumbai. However, Semboi has now gone a step further and garlanded himself with this unique acquirement of bagging trebles in all three of these extremely critical tournaments that stand so crucial with respect to Indian football. Haokip’s own goal-scoring exploits from last night must come as a sigh of relief for his personal form as the man has been able to put the ball at the back of the net only once in his 12 appearances in the ISL this season. [KH_RELATED_NEWS title="Related News | ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW"][/KH_RELATED_NEWS] Bengaluru FC made light work of Paro FC after a rather subdued outing in the first leg where Cuadrat’s side had managed a 1-0 win. Here, they decided to go all guns blazing and Semboi Haokip correspondingly pounced upon this opportunity to register this distinctive coup.