Erling Haaland secured a place in the Champions League quarterfinals with a memorable 5 goal haul against RB Leipzig. Haaland became the third player to score 5 goals in a single UCL game. City won 7-0 at the Etihad Stadium and 8-1 on aggregate over two legs. Captain IIkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne scored the other two goals in the game.
Haaland secured a first half hattrick and scored two more goals in the second half before he was substituted in the 63rd minute. In the process Erling became Manchester City’s all time top scorer in a single season with 39 goals. Haaland became the youngest player to score 30 goals in the champions league band the quickest to reach 30 goals.
1. Most Goals in a single UEFA Champion League game
Erling Haaland against RB Leipzig 14th March 2023
Erling Haaland joined a special list of players who have scored 5 goals in a single UEFA Champions league game. Previous players to have achieved five goal hauls include Lionel Messi (Barcelona) and Luiz Adriano (Shakhtar Donetsk).
1st Half
The scoring started in the 22nd minute after a Benjamin Henrichs handball in the penalty box gave away a penalty. RB Leipzig players could not believe their luck when VAR stopped play and referred referee to the screen. The Referee had no decision and awarded City the penalty. Erling Haaland dispatched the ball in the bottom right corner and gave City a 1-0 lead.
Manchester City did not relax and 2 minutes later Kevin De Bruyne hit a fierce shot from outside the box that ricocheted off the bar. Haaland was first to the ball and headed the ball into the goal. The hattrick was sealed in 45+2 minutes after Ruben Dias header was blocked and Haaland scored a shot from very close range.
2nd Half
Haaland could not be kept of the scoreboard and scored again in the 53rd minute with a left footed shot from close range. Haaland would not be silenced and scored again in the 57th minute after Manuel Akanji shot was saved and fell to the striker. Erling pounced on the ball and scored with a right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Lionel Messi against Bayer 04 Leverkusen 7th March 2012
Lionel Messi became the first player to score five goals on 7th March 2012 against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Nou Camp. Two goals came in the 25th and 42nd of the first half. Three goals came in the 49th 58th and 84th minute of the second half. Messi scored three goals with his Left foot and two goals with his weaker right foot.
Luiz Adriano against BATE Borisov 21 October 2014
Luiz Adriano achieved the same feat two and half year later against Belarussian side BATE Borisov. Adriano’s 5 goal haul came in a 7-0 thrashing of BATE Borisov in the 2014/15 group stage. Four of the 5 goals came before half-time in the 28th, 36th, 40th and 44th minute. The last goal came via a penalty in the 82nd minute.
2. Most goals by Man City player in a single season
Haaland has overtaken Tommy Johnson record of 38 goals in a season achieved in the 1st Division in 1928-29. In his first season at the Etihad Erling has performed above expectation scoring 39 goals with over 15 games to go.
3. Youngest Player to score 30 goals in UCL
Erling Haaland became the youngest player to reach the 30 goal landmark in the UEFA champions League with an age of 22 years and 236 days. The record has been held by Kylian Mbappe who achieved with an age of 22 years 352 days. Other players on the list includes Lionel Messi at 23 year 131 days (Third), Raul Gonzalez at 24 years 91 day (fourth) and Karim Benzema at 25 years 105 days (fifth).
