Kylian Mbappé Fires PSG into Champions League Semis with Stunning Hat-Trick
Achraf Hakimi's Opener Sets the Tone
Paris, France — March 19, 2023
Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappé became the first player in Champions League history to score a hat-trick in under 16 minutes as the French giants stormed into the semifinals with a 4-3 aggregate victory over Atalanta.
After losing 2-1 in the first leg in Italy, PSG needed a strong performance at home to overturn the deficit. Mbappé delivered in spectacular fashion, scoring three goals in a lightning-fast flurry that electrified the Parc des Princes crowd.
Right back Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring for PSG in the 10th minute with a blistering drive from outside the box. Just six minutes later, Mbappé equalized on aggregate with a stunning solo effort, dribbling past two defenders before slotting home from close range.
Mbappé's second goal came in the 20th minute, as he met a perfectly weighted cross from Neymar and headed it past Atalanta goalkeeper Francesco Rossi. With his third goal in the 36th minute, Mbappé completed his hat-trick, becoming only the second player to score three goals in a Champions League knockout match after Real Madrid's Ronaldo.
Atalanta refused to go down without a fight, and Duván Zapata scored in the 60th minute to give the Italian side a glimmer of hope. However, PSG held on and eventually sealed the victory when Neymar added a fourth goal in the 73rd minute.
Mbappé's hat-trick was a fitting end to a remarkable individual season for the French striker, who has now scored 30 goals in all competitions this campaign.
Komentar