Kane, Lamela help Tottenham sink Asteras Tripolis in Europa League
A wondrous goal from Erik Lamela and a Harry Kane hat trick helped Tottenham earn a 5-1 win over Asteras Tripolis in their Europa League Group C clash, with the latter finishing the game in goal after Hugo Lloris was sent-off.
The Premier League side had yet tasted victory in this season's competition, but settled any early nerves by taking the lead through Kane in the 13th minute â his second Europa League strike of the season. The Greek visitors were far from out of the contest, and had several chances to get back on level terms, but an extraordinary piece of skill from Lamela, commonly known as a 'Rabona,' doubled the hosts' lead.
That incredible goal seemed to take the wind out of the visitors' sails, as they struggled to make any inroads. Lamela got his second and Tottenham's third midway through the second-half, powerfully volleying in at the nearpost to make sure of the three points for Spurs.
Kane bagged himself a treble late on, tapping in the loose ball after Asteras' goalkeeper Tomas Kosicky had fumbled an effort from Mousa Dembele into his path, before heading in from close-range to complete the rout. Kane's night wasn't over, after he took the Spurs 'keeper jersey off Lloris who was sent-off and no substitutions available for Michel Vorm to enter the fray.
From the resulting free-kick Kane did allowing a tame effort from Jeronimo Barrales under him to give the visitors a late consolation, and add yet more drama to a fantastic match which had everything. The result sees Mauricio Pochettino's men move up to second in Group C with the return in Greece next up, knowing that another win will go a long way to seeing Spurs qualify for the knockout stages.
Spurs got off to an edgy start, with a mistake from Etienne Capoue letting Pablo Mazza get in behind early on, but the winger dragged his shot well wide without troubling Hugo Lloris in the Tottenham goal. However, as the visitors were looking dangerous in possession, Kane, just as he did against Besiktas, scored from distance to break the deadlock.
The England Under-21 striker had plenty of time to line the shot up, but capitalized in clinical fashion, firing his strike low and hard into the bottom corner. Kane then almost turned creator for Capoue, but after a neat move and throughball from Kane, Capoue couldn't quite bring the ball under control, and Kosicky was out quickly to smother.
Asteras had a great chance to level through Facundo Parra, who saw his first effort well saved by Lloris, and then the rebound brilliantly blocked by Ben Davies, with Lloris stranded. However Lamela, who had been quiet in the opening exchanges, lit up White Hart Lane with incredible showmanship to send the home fans into raptures and grab Spurs' second.
As the ball came across the edge of the box, Lamela wrapped his left leg around the back of his right and curled the ball past Kosicky, much to the amazement of everyone involved. After the break, Spurs took their foot off the gas a little, and invited the visitors to attack, with some last ditch defending needed to keep the Greeks at bay.
On the hour mark Kane did have a great chance to net Spurs third, but as the ball was pulled back to him his side-footed effort was tame, and easily saved by Kosicky. Lamela again became centre of attention by adding Spurs third. He managed to find space in the box to get a shot away, which looped up off an Asteras defender, and the Argentinian forward lashed the loose ball past Kosicky at his near post, with the pace of the volley his undoing.
Lloris, who had been a spectator for much of the match, then pulled off a stunning save high to his left, clawing a well-timed volley from Fernando Usero around the post. Kane added a fourth for Spurs, tapping in following Dembele's powerful strike, which swerved and cause Kosicky all sorts of problems, and then completed his first hat-trick for the club, heading a Federico Fazio cross in to put the icing on the cake.
Yet, just as we thought the action was petering out, Lloris received his marching orders for a foul on the edge of the box, and with no substitutions left, Kane took the jersey for the remaining few minutes, only to concede straight away, letting Barrales' free-kick slip underneath his despairing dive to give the visiting Greeks something to shout about.
