Caltex Socceroo Mathew Leckie has become an instant hero for new club Hertha Berlin, scoring a brace in their Bundesliga opener against Mitch Langerak’s Vfb Stuttgart overnight.
LECKIE STEALS THE SHOW
After a goalless first half, it took Leckie less than a minute after the restart to get the home crowd of almost 45,000 on their feet.
He sprinted onto Vedad Ibisevic’s header to race free, before cutting inside his defender and curling a stunning effort into the far corner.
The 26-year-old then made the result safe just after the hour mark, in the right place at the right time to rifle home a loose ball from a corner.
“It’s a special moment for me, not just outside of football with my baby just being born,” Leckie told Hertha TV.
“Two goals at the start of my career in Berlin - I’ve never scored two goals in a game in the Bundesliga.
“Football is a crazy, funny game. I think the fresh start in Berlin was exactly what I needed.”
Caltex Socceroos teammate Mitch Langerak was on the bench for Stuttgart.
LECKIE: ‘BEST WEEK OF MY LIFE
The Aussies man-of-the-match display comes just a week after he set up both goals in the club’s 2-0 German Cup win over Hansa Rostock last weekend.
But topping all that was the birth of his first daughter Olivia Valentina.
“I’ll be going straight home to the baby,” said the winger when asked how he’d celebrate his double.
“This week has been one of the best of my life. I’m definitely going to enjoy the next couple of days celebrating the performance.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
Both Leckie and Langerak are both likely to be named in Ange Postecoglou’s final 23-man squad on Tuesday for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Thailand.
In the Bundesliga, Leckie’s Hertha travel to play heavyweights Borussia Dortmund, while Langerak’s Stuttgart are at home to Mainz.
