Tottenham Hotspur won their first match in the group stages of the Europa League by beating Asteras Tripolis 5-1 at White Hart Lane.
Harry Kane fired Spurs ahead with a strike from range, before Erik Lamela's outstanding Rabona effort from the edge of the box doubled their lead.
Lamela grabbed his second midway through the half with a well-taken volley and soon after Kane made it four when he followed up after Mousa Dembele's shot was spilled.
With nine minutes left to play Kane sealed his hat-trick as he met Federico Fazio's cross to head in at the back post.
Spurs finished the night with 10 men as Hugo Lloris was shown a straight red card and with a minute left to play Jeronimo Barrales pulled a goal back for the visitors from a free kick.
Find out how the action unfolded below.
Good evening everyone! What a week of European football it has been so far. The Champions League served up plenty of goals and some memorable ties and fans of Tottenham will be hoping for something similar as their team faces Asteras at White Hart Lane tonight.
It hasn't been a great start for Spurs in this group and they are yet to win a match. After claiming an easy 5-1 Aggregate win over AEL Limassol in the playoffs, they started Group C with a goalless draw away to Partizan. Last time out against Besiktas it had seemed they would claim the three points, but a late penalty from Demba Ba ensured the night ended in a 1-1 draw.
TEAM NEWS: Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has made six changes to the side that were beaten by Manchester City on Saturday. Emmanuel Adebayor, Andros Townsend, Harry Kane, Jan Vertonghen, Ben Davies and Mousa Dembele are the players that return to the starting XI. Meanwhile, Facundo Parra leads the attack for the visitors, having scored in his last two European outings.
TOTTENHAM XI: Lloris, Dier, Fazio, Vertonghen, Davies, Capoue, Dembele, Lamela, Townsend, Kane, Adebayor
ASTERAS XI: Kosicky, Panteliadis, Sankare, Lluy, Munafo, Usero, Rolle, Zisopoulos, Tsokanis, Mazza, Parra
TOTTENHAM SUBS: Vorm, Chiriches, Chadli, Eriksen, Lennon, Stambouli, Soldado
ASTERAS SUBS: Theodoropoulos, Kiriakopoulos, Fernandez, Barrales, Bakasetas, Badibanga, Gianniotas
The opening weeks of the season have been frustrating for fans of Tottenham. They had won their first two matches in the Premier League, but a poor run of form has seen some of their early optimism fade. Things didn't go too well for them at the weekend either, as four goals from the outstanding Sergio Aguero saw them fall to a 4-1 defeat against Manchester City.
If Spurs have struggled to find their best form in Europe, then the opposite certainly applies to this evening's visitors. Asteras are taking part in the group stages for the first time in their history, having made it through three rounds of qualifying.
Spurs and Asteras players are currently warming up at White Hart Lane. #Tottenham #Asteras #UEL pic.twitter.com/xmGY86x1ZU
— Mark Pettit (@UEFAcomMarkP) October 23, 2014
The Greek outfit are already top of the group having picked up four points from their opening two matches. They are also currently on a seven game unbeaten run and a 2-0 victory over Partizan last time out will have certainly increased their confidence even more.
Unsurprisingly this is the first time that these two teams have met, given that Asteras have only been playing European football for the past three seasons. It is their first match against English opposition, while Spurs have played teams from Greece six times, winning two of those matches. The most recent of those games saw them claim a 3-1 home win over Panathinaikos in the group stages two seasons ago.
A few minutes ago Everton's match against Lille finished in a goalless draw, meaning that the Toffees have moved to the top of their group. It has been a bit of a mixed week for Premier League sides in Europe, with Liverpool losing to Real Madrid and Manchester City throwing away a two-goal lead against CSKA Moscow. Spurs will be hoping that they can be the third club from London to claim a win, after victories for both Arsenal and Chelsea.
PREDICTION: Although Spurs haven't got off the mark yet in the group stages, I can't see anything other than a win for them tonight. Asteras have done well so far, but they are yet to win a game away from home in Europe. That trend should continue this evening and I'm going to for a 2-0 victory for Pochettino's side.
The two teams have made their way out onto the pitch and we are now just three minutes away from the start of this evening's match.
0 - Asteras Tripolis have never won an away match in Europe (lost three, drawn four, including qualifying matches). Sickness.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 23, 2014
KICKOFF! We are underway at White Hart Lane!
We're still yet to see any goalmouth action at either end of the pitch in these early stages of the match. It has been quite a scrappy opening, but the Greek side look confident enough to pass it around and try to play their way up the pitch.
Spurs have their first real opportunity to cause some panic in the visitors box, as Lluy brings down Davies by the left-hand touchline. Davies himself steps up to take the free kick, but it isn't the greatest delivery and Asteras manage to clear.
The visitors almost catch Spurs cold as Usero's long ball over the top is missed by the defence and ends up going through to Mazza. The striker then drives towards the box and attempts a strike, but he doesn't make great contact with the ball and scuffs it wide of the far post.
It has been a very open start to the match here and Spurs work their first chance of the match as Lamela finds Kane in plenty of space. The forward is not closed down so decides to take the shot on, but his powerful effort flashes just wide of the post.
Spurs are very much in control of the match at the moment and they look extremely confident in possession. It seems already at this stage of the game that they are going to see plenty of the ball this evening.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Asteras Tripolis (Harry Kane)
It hasn't taken too long for Spurs to take the lead and it could end up being a long evening for the visitors. It's a fine goal as Kane picks the ball up around 25 yards out from goal and drills a low strike into the bottom corner that leaves the keeper with no chance.
Asteras just can't get a touch of the ball at the moment and it would not be a surprise to see the hosts double their lead at any moment. Spurs look full of confidence and there is a great energy among their attacking players when they get into the final third.
Despite Tottenham's control of the match, there has been a couple of occasions when their backline has been breached far too easily. This time Tsokanis almost latches onto a long ball over the top, but Lloris comes rushing off his line to head the ball clear.
CHANCE! Spurs have played some great football in the first quarter of the match and Capoue comes so close to doubling his side's lead as he latches onto Kane's brilliant ball over the top, before seeing his effort blocked at close-range by Kosicky.
CHANCE! What a huge moment this is for the visitors. They win a free kick inside their opponents' half and get plenty of men forward. Panteliadis takes the set piece and whips a great ball into the box that is met by Zisopoulos, but he can only direct his header back across goal just over the top.
CHANCE! Asteras come mightily close to leveling the scores for the second time in a matter of minutes. Once again Spurs are caught out by a long ball over the top and Parra finds himself with just Lloris to beat. He sees his first effort saved and then his follow up is also blocked.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Asteras Tripolis (Erik Lamela)
Having almost conceded just moments ago, Spurs have doubled their lead with a moment of genius from Lamela. The Argentine gets onto a loose ball just outside the box and scores with one of the most outrageous Rabona shots that you are ever likely to see. That really is a stunning goal from a player starting to find his best form for the club.
I am sure that most people watching at White Hart Lane will still be shaking their heads in disbelief at the goal that Lamela just scored. It's not often that you see a player attempt that sort of skill, but to find the far corner and leave the keeper rooted to the spot is another story altogether.
YELLOW CARD! Asteras have been lucky to avoid a booking so far, but the referee decides to hand out the first yellow card to Panteliadis, who chopped down Townsend from behind.
CHANCE! We've already seen a couple of fine goals from Spurs this evening and Townsend comes close to adding a brilliant third. The England international is around 30 yards out from goal and tries to curl the ball over the keeper and into the top right corner, but his effort swings just wide of the post.
Asteras are seeing a fair amount of possession as they try to pull a goal back before half time, but their deliveries into the box have been poor. They had a couple of decent chances to score before Lamela got Tottenham's second, but were ultimately punished for their lack of a finishing touch.
HALF-TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Asteras Tripolis
No stoppage time is added on by the referee at the end of the half and it's Spurs who comfortably lead 2-0 against Asteras. Kane gave them the lead with a fine finish, but the second goal from Lamela was on another level completely.
The statistics back up just how dominant Spurs have been in the first 45 minutes. They have been well in control of the ball and have had 60% of the possession. Both teams have actually had six attempts on goal, but out of the three the hosts got on target, two have found the net.
I don't think the fans at White Hart Lane are going to see a goal quite as good as Lamela's this season. The Argentine endured a frustrating campaign following his move from Roma last year, but such a piece of skill shows why the club splashed out such a huge fee on him.
How do you celebrate a goal like that? Something like this ... #COYS #UEL pic.twitter.com/tP1BRzopNU
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 23, 2014
In tonight's other Group C match, Besiktas are currently 2-0 up against Partizan thanks to goals from Veli Kavlak and Demba Ba. It means that they and Spurs will both have five points, although the Turkish side will go top of the table by virtue of goals scored.
Asteras take the kick off and get the second half started!
It's all Spurs at the start of the second half and they work the first chance since the break. Townsend whips a great ball into the box, that Adebayor nods down to Lamela on the edge of the box. The Argentine then drives the ball in low, but the defence are out quickly to block and the ball heads behind for a corner.
The visitors show that they still have some threat left in them as they break with pace down the right flank. The ball is eventually played to Usero just outside the box and he fires in a low strike, which takes a deflection of Vertonghen, but it ends up drifting wide of the target before it is cleared away from danger.
CHANCE! Asteras have got into some great positions in the opening 10 minutes of the second half and following a corner Lluy drills a low strike into the box that bobbles around and causes some real panic before Kane is able to clear under pressure.
Spurs just seem to have taken their foot of the gas at the moment, which is very dangerous even though they have a two-goal lead. The intensity of their first half performance is not there and it has allowed the visitors to have a real go and get plenty of men forward in support of each attack.
CHANCE! The hosts spring into life with Lamela charging through the midfield. He then plays the ball wide to Adebayor, who looks up and spots Kane on the edge of the box. Instead of going for power, the striker opts to place the ball into the net. His effort is too close to Kosicky, who does end up spilling it, but the keeper gets away with his error as Lamela was offside as he tried to follow up.
Tottenham are just starting to take back control of the match, after a shaky period in this half. They are finding plenty of room whenever they break, but on their latest attack Adebayor drifts into an offside position as Capoue looks to feed him through.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Asteras Tripolis (Erik Lamela)
Spurs have surely wrapped up the win as Lamela bags his second goal of the evening. It is another great strike, as the Argentine dribbles into the box and sees his initial shot blocked by the defence. The ball then rebounds back to him and he lashes in a powerful effort on the volley that flashes past the keeper.
SAVE! What a stunning save this is from Lloris. Usero is picked out with a chipped ball over the top and tries to volley the ball first-time into the corner. However, Lloris is at full stretch to get a hand to the ball and tip it round the post. Wonderful goalkeeper from the French number one.
SUBSTITUTION: Asteras make their first change of the evening, with Barrales coming on for Rolle.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 Asteras Tripolis (Harry Kane)
It's four for Spurs as Kane grabs his second of the match. Following a corner, Dembele is allowed space on the edge of the box to get a low strike away. His attempt is spilled by the keeper, but Kane is there to slot the ball home from close range into the unguarded net.
SUBSTITUTION: Following that goal Spurs have made a change and it's the outstanding Lamela who heads off, with Eriksen coming on in his place.
SUBSTITUTION: The visitors make their second change of the night, as Fernandez comes on for Parra.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 Asteras Tripolis (Harry Kane)
What a great night this has turned out to be for Kane, who scores his first hat trick for Tottenham. He had seen an initial effort blocked and end up deflecting out wide. Fazio managed to keep the ball alive and did well to deliver a great cross to the back post that Kane met to head in from close range.
SUBSTITUTION: Asteras make their final change, as Bakasetas comes on for Mazza.
SUBSTITUTION: Spurs also change things around, with Lennon replacing Townsend.
RED CARD! It has almost gone perfectly for Spurs this evening, but with just three minutes left they have had Lloris sent off. The goalkeeper came rushing off his line as Tsokanis latched onto a through ball and he ended up bringing down the winger just outside the box. He had to go and now Kane will play in goal for the last few minutes.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 Asteras Tripolis (Jeronimo Barrales)
Kane has been brilliant in attack for Spurs, but he has made a bit of a goalkeeping blunder here! From the resulting free kick that led to the red card, Barrales stepped up and curled in a low effort that looked as it was covered by Kane, but the striker allowed the ball to slip under his body. I don't quite see a future in goal for him somehow!
There are going to be three minutes of stoppage time.
FULL-TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 Asteras Tripolis
The final whistle blows following a very eventful night at White Hart Lane. Spurs have won their first match of the group stages and we have seen plenty of entertainment, with Lamela's goal in the first half the standout moment.
That's all we've got time for here. Make sure you stay with us for all of the reaction to tonight's matches from across the Europa League. I hope you have enjoyed our coverage. Goodbye!
Written by
Alex Meyers
Alex Meyers
