It was a striking performance for the ages in Moscow for Leicester City striker Patson Daka.
The Foxes went into the Europa League tie on Wednesday against Spartak knowing that anything less than a win could’ve proved fatal to their chances of getting out of the group, given that they were bottom of the group and winless beforehand.
Going 2-0 down on 44 minutes certainly wouldn’t have been in Brendan Rodgers’ script, however, Daka’s first right on half-time gave the visitors hope.
Within three minutes of the start of the second half, Daka had brought the scores level.
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Six minutes after that, a hat-trick had been completed, Daka’s third, a simple finish, put them ahead for the first time in the game.
? Deadly Daka ?
Patson Daka is the first Leicester player to score four goals in one European game! ?#UEL pic.twitter.com/VrHHH5nzyV
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 20, 2021
Only five players have scored 4+ goals in a #UEL game since the change in format in 2009:
? Aritz Aduriz (5)
? Radamel Falcao (4)
? Edinson Cavani (4)
? Willian José (4)
? Patson Daka (4)Only Willian José and Daka have done it away from home. ? pic.twitter.com/Yil1uuYUKv
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 20, 2021
Incredibly, he still wasn’t done and added his, and Leicester’s fourth with 12 minutes left to play. Even though Spartak added a third, the Foxes held on for a superb away victory.
Daka’s four-goal haul put him in some esteemed company too. Only Aritz Aduriz, Radamel Falcao, Edinson Cavani and Willian José had also scored four or more in the competition since its rebrand in 2009, according to Squawka, with José the only other player to do so away from home.
SCINTILLATING FORM
The magnificent Patson Daka scored four coolly-taken goals as Leicester boosted their Europa League qualification hopes by brilliantly coming back from two goals down to beat Spartak Moscow 4-2.pic.twitter.com/s2OCo48uGa
— FARPost_ZA (@FARPostZA) October 20, 2021
And that’s how you celebrate a winner @PatsonDaka20 patson daka’s 4th goal pic.twitter.com/vjQJ1ypgBF
— ???? ??? (@undrtd_) October 20, 2021