Nov 20, 2024, 03:21 AM ET
Sweden forward Viktor Gyökeres netted four goals on Tuesday in a 6-0 rout of Azerbaijan to overtake Erling Haaland as the top scorer in the Nations League.
The 26-year-old started the evening with five goals from five Nations League games and now sits at nine goals, two ahead of Haaland’s seven.
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His third goal of the night in the 58th minute — scored only a few seconds after the game restarted following another Swedish goal — took the Sporting CP forward to eight goals in six games in this edition of the Nations League, one more than Haaland.
Gyökeres — one of the most in-demand players in world football this season — didn’t stop there and added his fourth goal of the game soon after.
“I’m hungry and I want to score a lot of goals,” Gyökeres said. “I feel like I’m in good shape. I’m often in the right place and I try to finish in the area.”
“We needed to win by a certain goal difference and we did. It was a good night. It’s fun to score so many goals.”
Viktor Gyökeres is the top scorer in the Nations League. Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Haaland had been the top scorer ahead of the final evening of games after the Manchester City striker scored seven goals for Norway, including a hat trick in a 5-0 win over Kazakhstan on Sunday.
The Sporting CP forward was involved in the build-up for Dejan Kulusevski‘s opening goal and scored his first goal in the 25th minute off a cross from Kulusevski. His second came in the 37th minute from a tight angle after being forced wide by a defender.
Gyökeres completed his hat trick in unusual style from Azerbaijan’s kickoff. Kulusevski had just scored and Azerbaijan played the ball back to defender Zamig Aliyev from the restart, but Aliyev — making his debut — was put under pressure by Gyökeres and let the ball run loose, leaving an easy finish. Gyökeres scored again in the 70th off a cross from Anton Saletros.
