RB Leipzig beat Istanbul Basaksehir in thriller to boost Champions League qualification hopes
ByReuters
Published 02/12/2020 at 20:14 GMT
RB Leipzig squandered a two-goal lead before Alexander Sorloth's stoppage-time goal earned them a 4-3 victory at Istanbul Basaksehir in Champions League Group H on Wednesday and kept the German side in the running for a top-two finish.
RB Leipzig celebrate scoring against Istanbul Basaksehir
Image credit: Getty Images
RB Leipzig won a seven-goal thriller against Istanbul Basaksehir thanks to an injury-time strike from Alexander Sorloth to boost their Champions League qualification hopes.
Sorloth drilled in his shot after the Turks had fought back thanks to Irfan Kahveci.
First-half goals from Yussuf Poulsen and Nordi Mukiele gave Leipzig a two-goal lead and Dani Olmo made it 3-1, but the Turks twice cut the deficit and levelled when Kahveci completed his hat-trick.
Leipzig, semi-finalists last season, are on nine points, level with leaders Manchester United who face Paris St Germain, on six, later. Basaksehir are eliminated from the Champions League.
Leipzig deserved an early lead after forcing keeper Mert Guenok to make a couple of superb saves.
They needed a bit of luck to score, however, when Marcel Sabitzer shot from the edge of the box and his effort was deflected by Poulsen to wrongfoot the keeper.
Basaksehir made few chances and Leipzig scored again two minutes from halftime with Mukiele slotting in from an Emil Forsberg assist.
A stoppage-time strike from Kahveci gave the hosts hope going into the break and the midfielder added another in the 72nd after Olmo had made it 3-1.
Kahveci completed a memorable hat-trick with a sumptuous left-footed free kick in the 85th minute before Sorloth's late winner.
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