Borussia Dortmund sensation Erling Haaland continued his incredible season on Tuesday, netting twice in a 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League.
Haaland’s brace, which included a stunning second goal, was not only enough to give BVB the advantage at the halfway point of their last-16 clash, but it moved the 19-year-old to 10 goals in the Champions League, making him the joint top scorer with Robert Lewandowski.
Neymar’s goal means that PSG are still well placed to mount a comeback in the second leg. Meanwhile, holders Liverpool will require another memorable night at Anfield if they are to advance after they lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid.
Erling Haaland has scored 10 Champions League goals in just seven appearances, reaching the tally four games quicker than any other player in the competition’s history. Ridiculous.
Here are the updated top-scorer standings after a dramatic start to the knockout bracket:
10: Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
6: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
5: Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Heung-Min Son (Tottenham Hotspur), Dries Mertens (Napoli), Memphis Depay (Lyon), Mauro Icardi (PSG), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
Haaland Hits New Heights for Dortmund
Haaland’s performances in the Champions League for Red Bull Salzburg made him a household name for supporters around the world. Now he’s close to becoming one of the biggest stars in the sport.
The Norwegian opened the scoring for Dortmund on the night with a typical poacher’s finish:
When Neymar grabbed an equaliser for PSG, it felt as though momentum was with the visitors to win the game.
However, Haaland produced one of his best goals of the season, thrashing a rising left-footed shot beyond Keylor Navas:
It’s to the teenager’s credit that he’s been able to make such a swift transition to life at Dortmund since January, with the goalscoring edge he showcased frequently at Salzburg even sharper in recent weeks.
The forward has also made scoring in the Champions League, a competition that is the pinnacle of club football in the eyes of many, look unerringly easy throughout the campaign. Per OptaJoe, no player in the history of the competition has racked up a double-figure goal return quicker than Haaland: