Europa League
TottenhamTottenham Hotspur5Asteras TripolisAsteras Tripolis1

Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 Asteras Tripolis

By Steve CanavanBBC Sport
Harry Kane, Tottenham
Four of Harry Kane's five goals this season have been in the Europa league; the other was in the League Cup
  • Lamela scores with outrageous finish
  • Kane claims first hat-trick of his career
  • Kane ends night in goal after Lloris red card
  • Spurs go joint top of Group C

A hat-trick from Harry Kane helped Tottenham thrash Greek side Asteras Tripolis and saunter to a first win in the Europa League group-stage.

The striker ended the game in goal when keeper Hugo Lloris was sent off, and conceded from the first shot he faced.

Erik Lamela struck twice, the first a stunning 'rabona'external-link strike that bought White Hart Lane to its feet.

The £28m Argentine wrapped his left foot around the back of his right leg to score brilliantly from 20 yards.

It was a breathtaking night of football and a boost for Tottenham's fans, who have seen their team produce some mixed Premier League performances this season.

It had been a similar story in Europe with Spurs held to a stalemate at Partizan Belgrade in their opening game, before Turkish team Besiktas snatched a point with Demba Ba's late penalty.

Those results meant anything other than a win in their first match against the Greek qualifiers would have been a severe blow to Tottenham's hopes of qualifying for the knock-out stages.

But initially a victory seemed far from guaranteed against an Asteras side which was lively and always willing to attack.

The Greeks had gone into the contest top of Group C and with a strong defensive record, having only conceded one goal in their first two group games.

Spurs made light work of forcing a breakthrough, however, scoring twice within the opening half hour.

Kane had already come close with one long-range effort when he rifled an inch-perfect shot past keeper Tomas Kosicky and into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

Then came a moment of sublime skill as Lamela scored his outrageous 'rabona-style' strike from the edge of the box.

Latching onto a loose ball on the edge of the area, the attacking midfielder produced the most extravagant of finishes to flick the ball into the corner of the net with Kosicky wrong-footed.

In fairness the visitors should have been level at that point. Facundo Parra broke clear seconds before Lamela struck but was denied from close range by a combination of Lloris' heroics and some desperate defending.

The two-goal cushion knocked some of the spirit out of Asteras and Tottenham began to boss proceedings, Andros Townsend twice going close with trademark long-range efforts.

Asteras started the second period well but just when it seemed they might get back into the contest, Lamela struck again.

The 22-year-old, who before kick off had only scored once for Spurs - in last year's Europa League against Moldovan side FC Sheriff - pounced with a volley, though Kosicky should have done better.

Lloris pulled off a fantastic save to keep out a stinging volley from Asteras skipper Fernando Usero, before Kane tapped in after Mousa Dembele's shot had been parried.

Kane completed his first ever hat-trick by heading in 10 minutes from the end.

But his night wasn't done. Lloris was shown a straight red card in the closing moments for bringing down Tasos Tsokanis as the last man and, with Spurs' three substitutes all on the pitch, Kane put on the keeper's jersey.

Unfortunately he proved he is not as adept at keeping the ball out of the goal, allowing Jeronimo Barrales' tame free kick to squirm under his body and give the Greeks a deserved consolation.

Erik Lamela
Erik Lamela's only other goal for Spurs was in last year's Europa League against Moldovan side FC Sheriff
Etienne Capoue
Etienne Capoue was one of five players who kept their place in the team following the 4-1 defeat at Manchester City
Andros Townsend
Andros Townsend has yet to score for Spurs this season, but was on target in England's win over San Marino
Tottenham v Asteras Tripolis
Tottenham are not in Europa League action again at White Hart Lane until the end of November when they host Group C's basement boys Partizan Belgrade

Line-ups

Tottenham

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1LlorisBooked at 87mins
  • 15Dier
  • 21Fazio
  • 5Vertonghen
  • 33Davies
  • 29Capoue
  • 19Dembélé
  • 17TownsendSubstituted forLennonat 83'minutes
  • 18Kane
  • 11LamelaSubstituted forEriksenat 76'minutes
  • 10AdebayorSubstituted forChadliat 77'minutes

Substitutes

  • 6Chiriches
  • 7Lennon
  • 9Soldado
  • 13Vorm
  • 22Chadli
  • 23Eriksen
  • 25Stambouli

Asteras Tripolis

Formation 4-1-4-1

  • 1Kosicky
  • 27Lluy
  • 15Sankaré
  • 13Zisopoulos
  • 3PanteliadisBooked at 37mins
  • 5Munafo Horta
  • 7MazzaSubstituted forBakasetasat 82'minutes
  • 8Usero
  • 10RolleSubstituted forBarralesat 73'minutes
  • 19Tsokanis
  • 23ParraSubstituted forAlberto Fernándezat 80'minutes

Substitutes

  • 9Barrales
  • 11Alberto Fernández
  • 14Bakasetas
  • 21Theodoropoulos
  • 39Badibanga
  • 70Gianniotas
  • 77Kyriakopoulos
Referee:
Ivan Kruzliak

Match Stats

Home TeamTottenhamAway TeamAsteras Tripolis
Possession
Home60%
Away40%
Shots
Home16
Away17
Shots on Target
Home8
Away4
Corners
Home7
Away6
Fouls
Home14
Away6

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 5, Asteras Tripolis 1.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 5, Asteras Tripolis 1.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Fernando Usero (Asteras Tripolis) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.

  4. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Fernando Usero (Asteras Tripolis) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jerónimo Barrales.

  5. Post update

    Attempt missed. Anastasios Tsokanis (Asteras Tripolis) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Jerónimo Barrales with a headed pass.

  6. Goal!

    Goal! Tottenham Hotspur 5, Asteras Tripolis 1. Jerónimo Barrales (Asteras Tripolis) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.

  7. Dismissal

    Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the red card.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur).

  9. Post update

    Anastasios Tsokanis (Asteras Tripolis) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur).

  11. Post update

    Anastasios Bakasetas (Asteras Tripolis) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  12. Substitution

    Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Aaron Lennon replaces Andros Townsend.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Mousa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur).

  14. Post update

    Nicolás (Asteras Tripolis) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  15. Substitution

    Substitution, Asteras Tripolis. Anastasios Bakasetas replaces Pablo Mazza.

  16. Goal!

    Goal! Tottenham Hotspur 5, Asteras Tripolis 0. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Federico Fazio.

  17. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Nacer Chadli.

  18. Post update

    Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Georgios Zisopoulos.

  19. Substitution

    Substitution, Asteras Tripolis. Nicolás replaces Facundo Parra.

  20. Post update

    Attempt missed. Pablo Mazza (Asteras Tripolis) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Facundo Parra.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Thursday 23rd October 2014

As It Stood

A

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Villarreal32109277
2B Mgladbach31207255
3Apollon Limassol3102311-83
4FC Zürich301248-41

B

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Torino32103037
2Club Bruges31204135
3FC Copenhagen31113214
4HJK Helsinki300307-70

C

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Besiktas31206245
2Tottenham31206245
3Asteras Tripolis311146-24
4Partizan Belgrade301206-61

D

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Celtic32105327
2RB Salzburg32108537
3Dinamo Zagreb31027613
4Astra Giurgiu300339-60

E

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Dinamo Moscow33005239
2PSV Eindhoven31112204
3Estoril Praia31023303
4Panathinaikos301225-31

F

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Inter Milan32103037
2FK Qarabag311112-14
3Saint-Étienne30300003
4Dnipropetrovsk301202-21

G

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Sevilla31204225
2Standard Liege31113214
3HNK Rijeka31115504
4Feyenoord310236-33

H

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Everton31205235
2Wolfsburg311167-14
3Lille30302203
4FK Krasnodar302146-22

I

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Sparta Prague32017436
2BSC Young Boys32018356
3Napoli32015326
4Slovan Bratislava3003010-100

J

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1FCSB32019456
2Dynamo Kyiv32016426
3Aalborg BK320146-26
4Rio Ave300316-50

K

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Fiorentina33007079
2Guingamp311123-14
3PAOK Salonika31026423
4Dinamo Minsk301219-81

L

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Legia Warsaw33003039
2Trabzonspor32014226
3KSC Lokeren310213-23
4Metalist Kharkiv300314-30
View full Europa League tables