After a goalless draw in the first half of the game, Diogo Jota came in to change the whole game in the second half. Wolverhampton was superb night and their performance pushed them to the next stage of the tournament. The English side showed a good team spirit in the game and it was a deserved win for them.
Wolverhampton: The Second Portugal Team
Portuguese Diogo Jota was not in the starting lineup, but his introduction to the game turned the table to their favor. The young Portuguese player came in the 56th-minute and just 72 seconds into the game he headed home the first g oal. He later added the second six minutes after the first goal (63 minutes) before completing his hat-trick in the 67th minute.
Diogo Jota becomes the first Portuguese player to score three goals in such a short time which is 11 minutes in Europa competition. Belgium Leander Dendoncker was also in the score-sheet. A shot which hit the post came out and then the Belgian was quick enough to head the ball into the net. Diogo Jota’s third goal in the 67th minute of the game made the score 4-0.
Diogo Jota is in Top Form
The team which is dominated with Portuguese players was not able to top the Group K, but they made it to the next stage. The match was decided after Diogo Jota netted his third of the day. Besiktas are out of the tournament without a single win in the group. Wolves were already assured of progressing whatever happened in the final round of group matches and go into Monday’s draw for the knockout stage as one of the 12 runners-up.
Combining the Premier League rigor and the Europa league for a team who are in the tournament for the first was not easy. They have not played in such a big European tournament for the past 40 years. The Premier League season is a task which Wolves have juggled to good effect so far.
Yesterday’s game at the Molineux stadium marked their 30th game of the season. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo used the opportunity – as expected – to shuffle his pack and give opportunities to some of his young players. The Portuguese boss makes seven changes from Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Brighton. Only skipper Conor Coady and midfield trio Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and Dendoncker maintained their places.
Diego Joto the Super Sub
When the young players failed to deliver in the first 45 minute of the game, change was needed and the manager did just that. Jota’s introduction changed both mood and momentum in a spectacular fashion. The Portuguese forward picked who scored in their game against Brighton in the EPL Matchday 16, came and changed the game. An intelligent run towards the far post allowed him to convert Pedro Neto’s cutback with his first touch.
Diogo Jota completed a memorable hat-trick been the fastest scored in the Europa League since September 2014. He timed Oskar Buur’s precise cross and placed the ball pass Besiktas’s keeper Utku Yuvakuran and his static defence. “I think everyone that is on the bench wants to come and make an impact, fortunately for me that impact was very good,” he said.
Wolves boss Nuno has challenged Jota to keep up his current hot streak. “He must do what he is doing every day, be really competitive, train well and prepare himself,” the Portuguese boss said. “Be like he is on the pitch, always fighting, always looking for space, always running. Keep on keeping going.”
Who could Wolverhampton play in the last 32?
Although Wolves will have been hoping to finish top of their group, and therefore avoiding some of the bigger names in the last 32. They could not have asked much more from their debut season in Europe’s secondary club competition.
In a continental campaign which started back in July and has now spanned 12 games. They have been able to go through to the knockout phase with little cause for concern. Now they await the identity of their next opponents when the draw is made in Nyon, Switzerland on Monday (12:00 GMT).
Finishing runners-up behind Braga means they will face a group winner. They are also likely to face the four best-ranked sides which have dropped down from the Champions League. The likes of last year’s Champions League semi- finalists Ajax, Italian giants Inter Milan or Spanish side Sevilla are potential opponents. Celtic could also be a likely opponent.
Wolverhampton Won’t be Playing Any English Team Yet
However, Wolves cannot face Manchester United or Arsenal – winners of their respective groups. Teams from the same nation are kept apart at this stage of the tournament. The first leg of the last 32 is scheduled for Thursday, 20 February, with the second legs taking place a week later.
“It was a good game, we played well, we scored goals, defended well and were organized. It was a well played game,” Nuno added. “It was a tough competition and we’ve progressively got better. We fight game by game and it’s taken us to the knockout stage. “We are delighted to be there but now we put it aside and wait for the draw.”