Mo Salah came off the bench to score the fastest-ever hat trick in Champions League history as Liverpool routed Rangers 7-1 at Ibrox on Wednesday.
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The Egyptian came on in the second half with his team leading 3-1 and proceeded to fire a stunning treble in just six minutes, 12 seconds to set a new benchmark in the competition.
Bafétimbi Gomis previously held the record from 2011 when he took eight minutes to complete his hat trick in a 7-1 win for Lyon against Dinamo Zagreb.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, centre, celebrates after scoring his side’s sixth goal during the Champions League Group A soccer match between Rangers and Liverpool at Ibrox stadium in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
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But Salah smashed that time with his stunning feat, walking away with the match ball in Glasgow and putting the seal on a confidence-boosting win for Liverpool, which is in a strong position to advance to the round of 16.
With Manchester City to come in the Premier League on Sunday, Jurgen Klopp hopes the victory will be a turning point for his team after such an unconvincing start to the season.
Lewandowski keeps Barcelona barely alive
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Barcelona couldn’t get the victory it needed at home against Inter Milan, and for the second season in a row the Catalan club likely won’t make it to the knockout stage of the Champions League.
Robert Lewandowski scored in stoppage time to help Barcelona salvage a 3-3 draw in a thrilling back-and-forth match against Inter on Wednesday, but the result did little to help Barça’s chances of advancing.
“This Champions League has been cruel for us,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández said. “Now it’s very difficult to advance. It’s a shame.”
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Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the Champions League Group C soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona , Spain, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
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Lewandowski kept the team alive — for now at least — with a last-gasp header after the visitors had taken a 3-2 lead with a goal from Robin Gosens in the 89th. A loss would have meant certain elimination for Barcelona for a second consecutive season in the group stage.
Barcelona is third in Group C with four points, three behind second-place Inter. Bayern Munich, which beat Viktoria Plzen 4-2 for its fourth victory in a row, has advanced with 12 points.
Son scores twice as Tottenham beat takes control of CL group
Son Heung-min scored twice as Tottenham came from behind and then survived a late scare to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Harry Kane also scored to help Tottenham move atop Group D — one point clear of both Marseille and Sporting Lisbon — with two rounds remaining.
But the England captain’s penalty miss in stoppage time added to a frantic finale.
Frankfurt’s Faride Alidou, fourth from right, scores during the Champions League Group D soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Eintracht Frankfurt at Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London, Wednesday, Oct.12, 2022. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
“We could have scored many, many goals,” manager Antonio Conte said. “Instead, until the end we suffer. For sure, we have to try to learn about this situation and understand the game is never ended.
“But an important win for us. We started in a difficult way but a good reaction, we scored three goals, we had many chances to improve — good saves from their goalkeeper — and in the end we’re leading our group.”
Victory against Sporting in Tottenham’s next match will secure qualification to the round of 16.
-With AP Inputs
