CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Gordon hits four as Newcastle hit Qarabag for six in the land of fire
—- England winger Anthony Gordon turned in an explosive performance as Newcastle thrashed Qarabag 6-1 in Azerbaijan in their Champions League playoff first leg.
The first half saw Gordon become only the second player to score four goals in the first half of a Champions League game and the first to do so in the knockout stage. His 33-minute hat-trick was also the fastest by an Englishman in the Champions League, lifting his tally this season 10 goals – compared with only three in the Premier League.
The former Everton winger opened the scoring in Baku in the third minute and converted two penalties either side of completing his hat-trick. Malick Thiaw and substitute Jacob Murphy scored the other Magpies goals with Elvin Cafarguliyev pulling one back for the hosts.
Brilliant Bodo
In Norway, Bodo/Glimt secured an upset 3-1 victory over Serie A leaders Inter Milan as Kasper Hogh proved instrumental with two assists and a goal.
The Norwegian side took the lead in the 20th minute when Hogh’s backheel set up Sondre Brunstad Fet, who calmly slotted into the bottom corner. Inter, three-times European Cup winners, equalised 10 minutes later through 20-year-old Pio Esposito, who turned sharply inside the box to fire in following Carlos Augusto’s through ball.
Esposito’s goal made him the youngest Italian to score for Inter in the knockout rounds of the competition.
Inter dominated after the break, with Lautaro Martinez hitting the post and Carlos Augusto testing goalkeeper Nikita Haikin from long range, but the home side seized the initiative.
A defensive lapse allowed Hogh to break forward and pick out Jens Petter Hauge, who rifled the ball into the roof of the net in the 61st minute.
Danish forward Hogh converted from close range after a precise cross from Ole Didrik Blomberg three minutes later, bringing his tally to four goals in this season’s competition.
Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis grabbed a late equaliser to secure a dramatic 3-3 draw with Atletico Madrid while Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick struck twice in three minutes to steer his team to a 2-0 victory away to Olympiacos in Greece.
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