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With two rounds to go, Leipzig still had a chance to reach the Champions League final this spring. That dream lives on after the Germans decided at the last minute against the Turkish Basaksehir.
Danish Yussuf Poulsen made it 1-0 for Leipzig in the 26th minute, and Nordi Mukiele doubled that lead just before half-time after an assist from Emil Forsberg. But an Irfan Kahveci goal in injury time kept Basaksehir in the game.
Leipzig did 3-1 through Dani Olmo at 66 minutes. After that goal, the drama began. The Turks refused to surrender.
Irfan Kahveci, Basaksehir’s best player in the match, made it 3-2 and gave the game a pulse. But it hadn’t ended there. Kahveci scored a 30-meter free kick in the 85th minute. 3 – 3 for the home team.
Then a certain Norwegian advanced towards Leipzig. Alexander Sørloth appeared just in time near the post and led him past the goalkeeper. The ball took a strange arc and looked behind Mert Günök in injury time. Three points for the visiting team and continued playoff opportunities for the Germans.
The meeting between Krasnodar and Rennes became events from a Swedish perspective. Kristoffer Olsson was absent from the start, but Viktor Claesson and Marcus Berg were included. And it was the latter who would become the hero of the match.
After a goalless first half, Krasnodar stepped up in the second. Berg came in free in the 71st minute, and with the outside of one foot hit the ball into the net behind Rennes’ French goalkeeper Romain Salin.
Krasnodar, who has already exceeded his playoff chances, thus achieved his first victory in the Champions League.
