Bengaluru FC rout Paro FC of Bhutan 9-1, to face Maziya of Maldives in AFC Cup play-off round

Semboi Haokip and Deshorn Brown scored a hat-trick each as Indian Super League champions Bengaluru FC crushed Paro FC of Bhutan 9-1 in the second leg match to win 10-1 on aggregate and reach the final stage of the qualifying round of the AFC Cup here on Wednesday.

Bengaluru, who had won 1-0 in the first leg in Thimphu, toyed with their opponents from Bhutan in a goal-fest at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

This was Bengaluru FC's biggest ever win. They now face Maziya Sports and Recreation Club of Maldives in the two-legged play-offs round for a place in the group stage of the continent's second tier club competition.

The first leg of the play-offs will be played in Maldives on February 19 while Bengaluru will host the second leg on February 26.

Haokip, who had also scored Bengaluru's lone goal in Thimphu, struck four times -- in the sixth, 26th, 67th and 85th minutes -- while Jamaican Brown was on target thrice (29th, 54th and 64th). The other two goals for Bengaluru was scored by ...