Gift Orban scored a second consecutive hat-trick to help KAA Gent destroy Istanbul Basaksehir 4-1 away, thereby, sending his club into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Belgian Jupiler Pro League club, Gent, produced a stunning performance to defeat Turkey’s Basaksehir 5-2 on aggregate and progress to the last-eight of the Europa Conference League.

Gent owed their triumph to the exceptional Orban who delivered a masterclass in front of goal at the Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Orban was the star of the show, netting three goals in just three minutes with the opener coming in the 31st minute, a cleverly placed left-footed strike that left the Basaksehir goalkeeper with no chance.

The youngster then followed it up with a potential goal of the week just a minute later before rounding off his hat trick with another fine effort in the danger area seconds later.

Hugo Cuypers made it 4-0 for Gent in the 37th minute. Basaksehir did manage to grab a late consolation goal through former Manchester United player, Adnan Januzaj but it was too little too late as the contest was dead and buried.

Orban has now scored eleven goals in his last seven games and the official UEFA Europa Conference League honoured him by writing on their Twitter page: “3 minutes & 25 seconds. Gift Orban has scored the fastest hat-trick in UEFA club competitions.”

Meanwhile, Orban scored four goals in a Belgian First Division A encounter on Sunday night to help Gent hammer Zulte Waregem 6-2 at the Elindus Arena.

Prior to the trip to Zulte Waregem, the Nigerian striker had never scored a hat-trick in his professional career. The 20-year-old’s four-goal haul came in a 30-minute spell in the second half.

He netted his first goal of the game in the 53rd minute, grabbed his brace in the 68th minute and then, his first career hat-trick in the 75th minute before wrapping up the scoring in the 83rd minute.

Orban has been in top form since his transfer to Gent from Norwegian club, Stabaek Fotbal in January for €3.3m and has now scored twelve goals in only nine appearances across all competitions. (The Guardian)

•PHOTO: Gent’s Gift Emmanuel Orban celebrates after scoring during a soccer game between Turkish Istanbul Basaksehir FK and Belgian KAA Gent in Istanbul, Turkey, in the round of 16 of the UEFA Europa Conference League. Photo: AFP

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