Salah: Gent’s prodigy Gift Orban eclipses Liverpool star’s UEFA hat-trick record

Gift Emmanuel Orban has been making waves in the football world recently, and with good reason.

The 20-year-old Nigerian striker is quickly establishing himself as one of the most exciting young talents in Europe, thanks to his remarkable performances on the pitch.

On Wednesday, March 15th, 2023, Orban achieved something truly remarkable: he scored three goals in just 205 seconds to help his team, Belgian club Gent, beat Istanbul Basaksehir in Turkey.

What makes Orban's feat even more impressive is that he did it in the Europa Conference League, the newest and lowest-ranked of UEFA's three club competitions.

This means that Orban has set a new record for the fastest hat-trick ever witnessed in a UEFA club competition, surpassing the likes of Mo Salah (6 minutes) and Patson Daka (9 minutes), who achieved the feat in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, respectively.

Orban's hat trick came in the first half of Gent's 4-1 win, which saw them progress to the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League 5-2 on aggregate. His first goal came in the 23rd minute, with the second following just 49 seconds later. His third goal was a spectacular strike that found the back of the net in the 28th minute.

Orban's performance was nothing short of phenomenal and showcased his exceptional skill and talent.

Orban, who only joined Gent from Norway's Stabaek in January 2023, is quickly becoming a key player for the Belgian club.

His hat-trick against Istanbul Basaksehir was his second in just four days, having netted four times in a 6-2 win at Waregem on Sunday in the Belgian Pro League.

In just nine matches, Orban has already scored an impressive 12 goals for Gent, making him one of the most prolific scorers in the Belgian league.

Orban's rise to fame has been meteoric, and his performances are attracting attention from top clubs across Europe. At just 20 years of age, he is already being touted as a future star of Nigerian football, with some pundits comparing him to the likes of Samuel Eto'o.

With his incredible talent and determination, there is no doubt that Orban has a bright future ahead of him, and football fans worldwide will be watching closely as he continues to make history on the pitch.