Lukaku leads Everton to win at Young Boys
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Article summary
BSC Young Boys 1-4 Everton FC
Everton have one foot in the last 16 after coming from behind to record a fine win that came with the help of a Romelu Lukaku hat-trick.
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Article body
• Romelu Lukaku registers hat-trick as Everton record handsome first-leg win
• Guillaume Hoarau gives Young Boys lead before two Everton goals in five minutes
• Lukaku adds further efforts either side of half-time
• John Stones sent off for bringing down Hoarau, who misses resulting penalty
• Blues end YB's seven-match winning streak in European home games
• The second leg is next Thursday in Germany, with the last 16 draw the following day
Romelu Lukaku claimed a hat-trick as Everton FC won 4-1 at BSC Young Boys to stride to within touching distance of the UEFA Europa League round of 16.
While Everton started with purpose, Young Boys quickly provided the end product. After getting a return ball from Raphaël Nuzzolo, Guillaume Hoarau very deliberately picked – and brilliantly found – his spot with a sublime curler from outside the box.
The visitors responded by turning the scoreline around in the space of five first-half minutes. Yvon Mvogo could only help Lukaku's well-directed header into the bottom corner before Steven Naismith's cross flashed between the Young Boys' goalkeeper's legs and the lunging Seamus Coleman turned the ball over the line.
Tim Howard pawed away a breathtaking Hoarau volley before Young Boys soon found themselves further behind. Bryan Oviedo's neat back-heel released Gareth Barry whose low cross was knocked in at the back post by Lukaku.
Still, Young Boys swept forward. Howard dived full-length to keep out Milan Gajić's drive from distance, and but for James McCarthy clearing off the line, Sekou Sanogo Junior would have brought the hosts to within one at the interval.
They also pushed gamely to reduce the deficit after it, but Ross Barkley sent Lukaku charging goalwards and the Belgian international lifted the ball delicately over the advancing Mvogo to clinch his hat-trick and ease Everton well clear.
After being sent to ground by John Stones, who was then red-carded, Hoarau fired the resulting spot kick over the bar to make this the Swiss side's heaviest ever UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League home defeat.
