By Daily Sports on February 21, 2020

Diogo Jota scored a hat-trick for the second consecutive Europa League game and Ruben Neves produced a characteristically brilliant volley as Wolves took total control of their last-32 tie by thrashing Espanyol at Molineux.

Jota opened the scoring in the first half when he poked in from close range.

Neves made it 2-0 in the second period with a stunning long-range strike, controlling a clearance on his chest before delivering a brilliant finish from 20 yards before the ball had bounced.

Jota drove in a third after running onto Matt Doherty’s pass before completing his hat-trick with a strike from the edge of the box. He was replaced soon after to a standing ovation from the home crowd.

Wolves will look to complete the job when they travel to Barcelona for the return leg next Thursday.

Given Wolves’ recent inability to start games strongly, this proved an unusually stress-free match for them.

In fact, Jota’s opening goal after 15 minutes – his effort deflecting in off Victor Sanchez following a corner – was something of a collector’s item as it was the first time Nuno Espirito Santo's side have scored first in a match since the 4-0 defeat of Besiktas on 12 December, 13 games ago.

The other similarity with that game and this was Jota’s devastating finishing, scoring hat-tricks on both occasions.

The 23-year-old Portuguese is the first player in eight years (since Klaas-Jan Huntelaar for Schalke in 2012) to register back-to-back hat-tricks in this competition, and he has now been directly involved in 14 goals in 11 European games this season. (ESPN)

•PHOTO: Wolves players

Source Daily Sports

Posted February 21, 2020

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