Tottenham Hotspur 7-2 Maccabi Haifa: Superb Spurs Hit Seven

Spurs strike the final low-blow to the Israeli side who were unable to back up their earlier taunting of Harry Kane after crashing out of the Europa League

By Daniel Huggins1 October 2020 20:03 BST

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 01: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring his team's sixth goal during the UEFA Europa League play-off match between Tottenham Hotspur and Maccabi Haifa at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 01, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Jose Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur progressed to the Group Stage of the Europa League tonight with a 7-2 rout over Israeli side Maccabi Haifa, thanks to a hat-trick from talisman Harry Kane and a brace from Giovani Lo Celso.

Lucas Moura and Dele Alli also scored for Spurs in the demolition job, which at one stage looked a much more unlikely end result as Tjaronn Chery scored a superb equaliser in the first half to make it 1-1.

Nikita Rukavytsya scored the other consolation goal for the visitors, who for the majority of the match focused on trying to catch out Spurs goalkeeper Joe Hart with long shots.

Story of the match

Spurs took the lead just two minutes into the match as Ben Davies found himself with plenty of space at the by-line after a neat one two with Steven Bergwijn, with the Welshman squaring for Harry Kane to tap home.

The visitors did have a chance straight after to get back into the game as Joe Hart saved from former QPR player Tjaronn Chery, who did soon after equalise with a spectacular 25-yard screamer.

There was only four minutes separating the Maccabi Haifa equaliser and Spurs' second goal, as Lucas Moura rose unmarked at the front post to flick the ball into the back of the net from Bergwijn's corner.

Spurs then made it 3-1 in the 37th minute when Giovani Lo Celso bent the ball into the top corner from inside the area, after good work from Davies to keep the chance alive.

Lo Celso doubled his tally moments later as Kane capitalised on a mistake in midfield and drove at the Maccabi Haifa defence, before sliding through the Argentinean who chipped Josh Cohen in goal.

Chery did have a chance to double his own tally and get the visitors back into the game just before half-time, but his spectacular volley-chip effort from a wide angle was tipped away by Hart.

The Israeli side did pull one goal back through a penalty from Nikita Rukavytsya after another penalty decision on the absolutely shambolic handball rule - again Matt Doherty the unfortunate culprit.

It could have been 4-3 just moments later through a Mohammad Abu Fani strike which was saved by Hart, but Spurs were the side to extend the scoring through a Kane penalty just ten minutes after the restart, after another ridiculous handball incident - this time at the other end.

Rukavytsya then had the ball in the back of the net for the visitors in the 61st minute, but the goal was disallowed rightly for offside.

Lucas Moura had a couple of fantastic efforts shortly after, the first began with a mind-boggling trick to get past three defenders with the same move before slicing wide, and the second a long-range effort which glided past the post and wide for a goal-kick.

Kane then made it 6-2 to complete his hat-trick after a magnificent piece of skill from Bergwijn to drop his marker to the floor before sliding the England captain through who chipped the ball deftly over Cohen.

Dele Alli wrapped up the scoring after coming off the bench with a point to prove - he converted a penalty which he won after skilfully nutmegging his marker in the box who in turn brought him down.

Man of the Match - Harry Kane

There were a number of players who could have been named man of the match, Ben Davies, Harry Winks and Giovani Lo Celso all close, but it has to be Harry Kane who added to his collection of match balls with a classy hat-trick to close off the hectic week.