Haokip scores poker as Bengaluru humiliate Paro FC 9-1

Semboi Haokip stole the limelight as he scored four goals en route Bengaluru FC‘s 9-1 rout of Paro FC at the Kanteerava Stadium on Wednesday evening. 

Deshorn Brown scored a hat-trick while Juanan and Nili Perdomo bagged a goal apiece. The only consolation goal for Paro FC was scored by former Bengaluru player Chencho Gyeltshen. 

Bengaluru FC coach Carles Cuadrat made wholesale changes to the line-up that started in Thimpu in the previous week. Prabhsukhan Gill and Parag Srivas made their debuts for the blues while youngsters like Gursimrat Gill, Suresh Wangjam and Semboi Haokip kept their places. 

With an eye on domestic commitments Sunil Chhetri, Ashque Kuruniyan were rested whereas, Gurpreet Sandhu and Udanta Singh took their places on the bench at the first whistle. 

The hosts were dominating possession through Erik Paartalu and Nili Perdomo and it was a matter of when and not if, they would break the deadlock. 

Bengaluru were rewarded for their sustained pressure as early as the sixth minute when Haokip scored the opener after latching on to a long ball from Paartalu. 

In the 14th minute, they doubled their lead through Juanan. The defender timed his jump to perfection to head home a corner floated by Perdomo. 

Almost against the run of play, Paro FC pulled one back through Gyeltshen. The winger showed his individual brilliance to first dribble past Gursimrat and then fire a venomous volley at the top corner beyond the reach of Prabhsukhan in goal. 

But Bengaluru remained unfazed and continued to dominate proceedings. Haokip scored his second of the night in the 26th minute after he beat his marker in the air to steer home a cross by Perdomo from the right flank. 

Four minutes later, Deshorn Brown joined the party and scored the fourth for Bengaluru with Wangjam setting him up on a platter. 

Bengaluru continued their onslaught in the second half as well. Brown scored his second in the 54th minute, after latching on to a pass from Perdomo. 

10 minutes later, the Jamaican completed his hat-trick and this time it was Kean Lewis with the assist. 

With three goals in his kitty, Brown turned himself to be the provider for Haokip to complete his hat-trick. Next, it was Perdomo’s turn to find the back of the net in the 79th minute. Haokip piled further misery on the visitors after he scored his fourth in the 85th minute. 

Bengaluru will now travel to the Maldives for the 1st leg of the play-off fixture on the 19th of February before hosting Maziya on the 26th for the reverse leg.