Gift Orban nets hattrick, sets UEFA record in Gent Europa Conference League win…
Rising Nigerian star Gift Orban set a UEFA competitions record when he netted a quick-fire hattrick as KAA Gent thrashed Istanbul Basaksehir 1-4 in a Europa Conference League (ECL) game in Istanbul on Wednesday night.
Orban, 20, had scored a hattrick for Gent in their Belgium Jupiler League game at Zulte-Waregem on Sunday and the youngster followed up that performance with another incredible feat at the Fatih Terim Stadium in Turkey.
With the UEFA ECL tie between Gent and Basaksehir finely poised at 1-1 from the first leg (after Gift Orban had cancelled out Stefano Okaka’s goal in Belgium), the terrific forward simply decided the tie with his brilliance just after the half hour mark.
First, Orban finished Hong Hyun-Seok’s pass from just ten yards out with his left beyond the reach of goalkeeper Volkan Babacan in Basaksehir goal in the 31st minute. His second, one minute later was a sizzling hot piledriver from 20 yards which flew into the top left corner.
Basaksehir, coached by former Turkey international Emre Belozoglu could not catch any break as Orban once again found the back of the net in the 34th minute when he netted a rebound after Babacan had saved his initial effort.
While Gift Orban was done with his scoring for the day, Gent were not done as they scored again in the 37th minute through Hugo Cuypers to cap a rather forgettable night for the hosts who had Adnan Januzaj’s 88th minute goal as a scant consolation.
Orban’s three goals came within the space of three minutes and twenty-four seconds, the fastest ever hattrick in the history of UEFA competitions (from the Champions League to the UEFA Cup, Europa League and Conference League).
Wednesday’s game was the fourth game in a row (in all competitions) that Orban would be scoring, bringing his tally to twelve goals in just nine matches. Truly, a star is born.
