ATHENS :Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe scored four goals, including the second fastest hat-trick in Champions League history, to earn a 4-3 comeback victory over hosts Olympiacos on Wednesday.
Mbappe’s first three goals came in a spell of six minutes and 42 seconds in the first half but it was a tough encounter for the Spaniards before they earned their first victory at Olympiacos on their fifth attempt, and ended a three-game run across all competitions without a win.
Real moved up to fifth place in the standings on 12 points, with the top eight earning automatic qualification for the knockout stage and with three matchdays remaining. Olympiacos dropped to 33rd on two points.
The visitors opened their account when Mbappe beat two defenders to slot in from Vinicius Jr’s assist in the 22nd minute, cancelling out Chiquinho’s goal that gave the hosts an eighth-minute lead.
He then headed in an Arda Guler cross two minutes later, and before the Greeks had time to recover from the double strike, the France forward completed his hat-trick with another fine finish.
The Spaniards were in complete control for the rest of the first half and also hit the woodwork through Aurelien Tchouameni but the hosts cut the deficit seven minutes after the restart through Mehdi Taremi’s close-range header.
Mbappe looked to have restored order with a tap-in from yet another Vinicius Jr assist for his fourth goal on the hour mark but Olympiacos refused to give up.
They scored again through Ayoub El Kaabi’s 81st-minute header and had Real firmly pinned in their own half as they piled on late pressure.
El Kaabi went close again as did Gabriel Strefezza but they could not find another goal.
