Tottenham 4 Monaco 1: Erik Lamela hits first-half hat-trick as Spurs top Group J in style

Hat-trick: Erik Lamela celebrates with team-mates after hitting a first-half treble
Tom Collomosse10 December 2015

Erik Lamela claimed a first-half hat-trick as Tottenham sealed top spot in their Europa League group by thrashing woeful Monaco.

Lamela’s goals meant the game was over by the interval, and although Stephan El Shaarawy pulled one back for Monaco, Tom Carroll restored the three-goal advantage for a Spurs side who rested several key first-teamers.

Spurs will now avoid their fellow group winners, as well as the best-performing teams to exit the Champions League, in Monday's draw for the last 32.

With Tottenham’s leading striker Harry Kane left on the bench, this was a personal triumph for club record signing Lamela, who scored his first treble since moving to Europe to join Roma four-and-a-half years ago. He can rarely have had an easier one at any level.

The first arrived inside two minutes. Clinton N’Jie took advantage of a mix-up between Tiemoue Bakayoko and Nabil Dirar, and when Ben Davies cut the ball back, the unmarked Lamela guided it into the corner from 12 yards.

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Shortly afterwards, the Argentine had his second, as Jeremy Toulalan made a mess of an attempted headed clearance and Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic somehow let Lamela’s weak shot slip under his body and into the net.

Another mistake – this time from Wallace – started the move that led to Lamela’s third. N’Jie and Heung-Min Son combined to release Lamela, who beat Subasic at the near post with his right foot – a rare occurrence indeed.

Nabil Bentaleb made his first Spurs appearance since August, replacing the injured Eric Dier shortly before half-time. Dier took a knock to his ankle from El Shaarawy but although the midfielder said he was happy to continue, head coach Mauricio Pochettino took no chances, with Newcastle visiting White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Nacer Chadli, absent since October, also made his comeback early in the second half. Chadli’s arrival followed El Shaarawy’s goal, a fine curling right-foot shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Dirar then headed over when unmarked at a corner but Monaco’s unreliable defence soon let them down again. This time it was Elderson Echiejile who fluffed his clearance, allowing Carroll to nip past him and slip the ball inside Subasic’s near post.

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