Nigerian striker Chidi Edeh struck a hat-trick and set up a couple more as East Bengal thrashed Yangon United of Myanmar 5-1 to enter the AFC Cup quarter-final here on Wednesday.
It was Edeh (25th, 71st and 76th minute) who made his presence felt with a treble while Penn Orji (2nd) and captain Mehtab Hossain (48th) chipped in with a goal each at the floodlit Salt Lake Stadium here.
The Trevor Morgan-coached side began spiritedly as Edeh set up Orji for an early second minute strike. The visitors tried to play long balls but the East Bengal defence were alert thwarting the visitors. Edeh put his name on the board after Andrew Barisic and Orji set it up for the Nigerian, displaying fine co-ordination in the 25th minute.
The hosts began the second-half with the same precision as Hossain made it 3-0 with a superb shot that was brilliantly set up by Edeh with a diagonal ground cross.
Naoba Singh then fed Edeh with a quality ball near the penalty spot as the Nigerian brought up his second goal giving East Bengal a commanding 4-0 lead midway into the second-half.
Continuing his fine run, Edeh brought up his hat trick in style as he finished from a solitary effort that gave East Bengal a compreshensive hold on the game. Yangon had all but given up in the contest when Cezar Augusto scored a consolation goal after getting a fine cross from the left flank.