Nigeria international, Dudu Omagbemi kept the title hope of his India I-League side, Kingfisher East Bengal alive as he registered a season-first hattrick before adding one more when his team romped to a 6-1 victory over a fragile Chennai City at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.
The Kolkata giants 7-1 victory, the competition’s biggest victory of the season taking them to the second spot on 29 points from 16 games putting more pressure on the league leader, NEROCA.
A communications breakdown between Uzbek central defender, Veniamin Shumeiko and goalie Kabir T led to Omagbemi opening his account in the 32nd minute.
The former Oko Baba FC player netted again in the 49th, 56th minutes and in the 60th taking his season tally to five goals in six games.
“When I joined East Bengal, the team was not in good shape. I too needed time. The pressure was getting to be too much…I was waiting for a day like today,” said Omagbemi, who rejected the 2008 Olympic call-up from the Samson Sia sia tutored side said.
Between Omagbemi’s third and fourth goals, Chennai City FC substitute Mashoor Shereef netted to make it 1-5 in the 59th minute.
East Bengal saved the best for the last with Gabriel Fernandes’s curler, off a Kromah assist, nestling in the top corner in the 84th minute.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
