Viktor Gyökeres scored a sensational hat-trick to power Sporting CP to a 4-1 victory over Manchester City in their UEFA Champions League showdown at Lisbon’s Estadio Jose Alvalade on Tuesday night.
The 26-year-old Swede, seen as a potential successor to City’s Erling Haaland, led his team’s comeback after an early goal by Phil Foden.
Foden had opened the scoring just four minutes in, capitalizing on a loose ball and sending a deflected shot past goalkeeper Franco Israel.
Moments later, Gyökeres missed a one-on-one chance against Ederson but made up for it in the 38th minute, leveling the score by outmuscling Manuel Akanji and chipping the ball over Ederson.
Sporting surged ahead shortly after halftime, with Maximiliano Araujo scoring in the 46th minute.
Gyökeres then converted a penalty in the 49th, sending Ederson the wrong way and extending Sporting’s lead.
Haaland had a chance to bring City back with a penalty in the 69th, but his shot hit the crossbar after VAR confirmed a handball.
Gyökeres completed his hat-trick with another penalty in the 80th minute, sealing the victory for Sporting despite Ederson’s correct guess.
Pep Guardiola’s squad struggled to find their footing and left Lisbon without a favorable result.
