Stuttgart's Demirović scores first hat trick of Champions League season against Viking

STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Stuttgart’s Ermedin Demirović scored the first hat trick of the Champions League season in the span of 12 first-half minutes of a 3-1 win against Viking on Wednesday.

Demirović found his rhythm to strike in the 20th, 26th and 32nd minutes and give Stuttgart a decisive lead at halftime against the Norwegian newcomer. Viking captain Zlatko Tripić had leveled in the 22nd.

Eight hat tricks were scored in the Champions League last season, including two by Kylian Mbappé in the league phase for Real Madrid, both in away games at Kairat Almaty and Olympiakos.

“For me personally it was the perfect start and also for the team as a whole," Demirović told broadcaster DAZN.

The 28-year-old Bosnian international scored just once in eight games when Stuttgart featured in the first edition of the new single-standings format two years ago. Stuttgart placed 26th and did not advance to the knockout phase.

“We know what we did wrong and we want to do better this year,” said Demirović.

He also did not score when starting all four of Bosnia-Herzegovina's games at the 2026 World Cup, losing to the United States in the round of 32.

His first two goals were shots that went in after hitting the underside of the crossbar, and his third was too powerful for Viking goalkeeper Arild Ostbo's attempted save.

Demirović's hat trick tied for eighth-fastest in the Champions League era, UEFA said, with Mohamed Salah's seven-minute treble for Liverpool at Rangers in October 2022 being the fastest.

He left the field to a standing ovation from Stuttgart fans when he was substituted off in the 62nd.

Viking, which edged Bodø/Glimt to win the Norwegian league title last year, is playing in the main phase for the first time in the 35-season Champions League era.

On Tuesday, Borussia Dortmund forward Serhou Guirassy scored three times in a 3-2 win over Villarreal but the third was an own goal for the Spanish visitor.

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Stuttgart's Ermedin Demirovic, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Viking FK in Stuttgart, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

Stuttgart's Ermedin Demirovic, center, scores his side's first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Viking FK in Stuttgart, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

Stuttgart's Ermedin Demirovic celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Viking FK in Stuttgart, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

Stuttgart's Ermedin Demirovic, left, scores his side's third goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Viking FK in Stuttgart, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

Fox Sports' tradition of going to military installations in honor of Veterans Day will include two firsts this weekend.

This week's “Big Noon Kickoff” and “Fox NFL Sunday” pregame shows will originate from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, and the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

This marks the first time Fox's college football pregame show will be part of the coverage. It is also the first time the network has done the show from multiple military installations.

Fox Sports CEO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks said the expanded coverage was a nice way to cap off America's 250th birthday celebration.

“We've had an incredible year with the baseball All-Star game and the (IndyCar) race in Washington D.C., and we still wanted to celebrate America 250. Bill Richards, our producer said, 'Why don’t we for the first time ever split the show and honor both service academies, because anytime you go to either one of them, they’re obsessed with each other.' And we thought we would bring that to life.”

This will be the second time Fox Sports has been to West Point and Annapolis. The show has also originated from military bases around the world, including Afghanistan.

“Fox NFL Sunday” host Curt Menefee has long said the Veterans Day show is his favorite one of the season.

“It’s easy to be in a place where people are preaching gloom and doom and the other side’s miserable. But when you get there to visit the service academy and you see all these young people from all around the country and you see the quality and the leadership skills that they have and the way they carry themselves. I mean, it continues your faith in America," Menefee said.

The “Big Noon Kickoff” crew of Rob Stone, Urban Meyer, Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn, Mark Ingram II, Chris “The Bear” Fallica and Tom Rinaldi will be at West Point and show some of the preparations before Army matchup against Air Force.

The "Fox NFL Sunday' team of Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, Rob Gronkowski, Jay Glazer, Charissa Thompson, Charles Woodson and Julian Edelman will be split between the two academies.

Quinn is the son of a Vietnam War veteran and founded the 3rd & Goal Foundation in 2011 to support veterans and their families.

“It’s such a big weekend of college football. I hope we’re able to do everything justice, being there at West Point, honoring the cadets, honoring really what they represent and how they’ll serve this country, but also at the same time doing the best we can to give them a great show,” Quinn said. “Veterans have talked about games they watch when they’re serving overseas and how much it meant to them. So we understand the magnitude of being there and what it means to highlight them and make sure we give them the appreciation they deserve.”

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FILE - A Fox Sports logo displayed on a television camera before an NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)