Yvan Dibango matches Eto’o record with three assists against Liverpool

Despite LASK Linz’s 6-3 defeat by Liverpool on Wednesday in the second round of the Champions League, Cameroon defender Yvan Dibango produced a landmark performance by creating all three of his side’s goals.

The 24-year-old left-back became only the third African player to provide three assists in a single Champions League match, according to Opta. He joins fellow Cameroon international Samuel Eto’o and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi in achieving the feat.

Dibango’s three assists came within a 14-minute spell as LASK attempted to recover from a heavy deficit. With Liverpool leading 4-0, he picked out Robert Ljubicic in the 63rd minute to begin the Austrian side’s response.

Eleven minutes later, the left-footed defender delivered for Florian Flecker, who headed in LASK’s second goal. Dibango then supplied Flecker again in the 77th minute to complete his hat-trick of assists.

The performance marked Dibango’s first decisive contributions in the Champions League and stood out during an otherwise difficult night for LASK, who conceded six goals at home to Liverpool.

Opta’s record places the defender alongside Eto’o, who recorded three assists for FC Barcelona against Levski Sofia in 2006, and Hakimi, who achieved the same feat for Borussia Dortmund against Atletico de Madrid in 2018.

Dibango was born in Yaounde, and his surname inevitably evokes memories of the celebrated Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango. On this occasion, however, the 24-year-old made his mark on the European football stage with an outstanding attacking display from left-back.

The match could prove significant in Dibango’s attempt to secure a regular starting place at LASK. Before facing Liverpool, he had not established himself as an automatic selection for the Austrian club.

He had played in only four of LASK’s first eight league matches this season, starting just one of them. His display against Liverpool’s calibre of opposition may now influence his manager’s thinking, even though his team conceded six times.

The defender demonstrated that he can make a major attacking contribution from the back, with all three of LASK’s goals involving his final pass. It remains to be seen whether the performance will lead to a sustained run in the starting XI and earn him greater confidence from the coaching staff.

For Dibango, the defeat brought a rare personal achievement: he equalled a Champions League record associated with Eto’o while becoming the latest African player to register three assists in one match.