Europa League: Soldado at the double in Euro win
DINAMO TBILISI 0 VS TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 5
RECORD £26m signing Roberto Soldado struck twice as Tottenham demolished Dinamo Tbilisi in the Europa League play-off first leg last night in Georgia.
Spurs, who reached the quarter-finals of last year’s competition, took a giant stride towards the group stage with their biggest win under boss Andre Villas-Boas.
Winger Andros Townsend opened the scoring on 12 minutes when he burst forwards from his own half unchallenged and fired in low from 25 yards.
And two minutes before half-time Spurs doubled their lead when Townsend beat defender Darko Glishich on the right-flank and stood up a left-footed cross for Paulinho to finish with a simple header.
Townsend was again the creator for the third goal on 58 minutes when he crossed for Soldado to stroke in.
Villas-Boas rang the changes with the outcome assured and substitute Nacer Chadli, another of Spurs’ summer acquisitions, made an immediate impact.
The Belgium winger found space on the left and set up Danny Rose to curl in majestically from 25 yards on 65 minutes.
And three minutes later Soldado volleyed in a superb left-wing cross from Chadli.