Late Leipzig beats Başakşehir 4-3 in Champions League

AP Published 3:23 p.m. ET Dec. 2, 2020 | Updated 4:15 p.m. ET Dec. 2, 2020

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) — Substitute Alexander Sörloth scored in injury time for Leipzig to beat İstanbul Başakşehir 4-3 on Wednesday and boost its chances of advancing to the Champions League knockout rounds.

İrfan Can Kahveci scored a hat trick as Başakşehir twice came from behind to make it 3-3 with five minutes remaining, but Sörloth first hit the post when a rebound hit his face in the last minute, then fired in the winner in the second minute of injury time.

It was the Norway striker’s first goal for Leipzig since he joined in the offseason from Turkish team Trabzonspor.

“Of course I’m happy about my first goal. It’s always important” said Sörloth, who hadn’t scored in eight Bundesliga appearances. “It almost had to happen in Istanbul.”

Leipzig moved level with Group H leader Manchester United on nine points ahead of the English team’s home game against Paris Saint-Germain later. PSG was on six points ahead of the late game.

Leipzig hosts United and PSG welcomes Başakşehir for the final round of games on Dec. 8.

Leipzig pressured from the start in Istanbul. Emil Forsberg went close early on and Mert Günok produced good saves to deny Nordi Mukiele and Yussuf Poulsen, before Boli Bolingoli got back in time to block Forsberg’s shot in the 18th.

The visitors finally made the breakthrough in the 26th, when Marcel Sabitzer’s shot took a decisive deflection off Yussuf Poulsen on its way in.

Başakşehir suffered a further blow when Bolingoli went off with a knee injury in the 36th, but still almost equalized a minute later, when Demba Ba drew a fine save from Péter Gulácsi.

Forsberg set up Nordi Mukiele to make it 2-0 in the 43rd, but there was still time before the break for Başakşehir’s Kahveci to pull one back in first-half injury time.

Defender Dayot Upamecano was booked in the 53rd, ruling him out of Leipzig’s final group game against United.

Edin Višća and Forsberg missed chances at either end, before Dani Olmo scored for Leipzig in the 66th. The goal was made in Spain, with Angeliño setting up his Spanish compatriot to go past Carlos Ponck before sweeping the ball inside the near post.

But Kahveci scored again in the 72nd, again with a curling shot – this time from outside the penalty area – inside the far post. Angeliño was too slow in closing down the 25-year-old’s space.

Kahveci equalized with a free kick in off the underside of the crossbar in the 85th, but Sörloth had the final say in a frenetic finale.

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