DIOGO GO GO
Sub Jota slams in 12-minute treble
DIOGO JOTA put on an incredible one-man show with a 12-minute hat-trick.
Sub Jota had only come on in the 56th minute with an uninspiring game locked at 0-0 and failing to ignite at all.
The Portuguese striker lit the fuse, breaking the deadlock a minute after coming on and added two more to put the result beyond doubt.
He headed home the opener at the far post after Pedro Neto had found him at the far post with an inchperfect cross.
Five minutes later it was 2-0, Jota pouncing from eight yards after Leander Dendoncker’s fierce shot was pushed onto the post by the keeper.
Madness ensued and Dendoncker, guilty of a couple of missed chances, suddenly seemed more relaxed and made it three to flatten the Turks.
In the 68th minute it was that man Jota again, completing a rapid treble when he ghosted in at the far post to ram the ball home.
Both sides seemed to be almost sparring with each other in a disappointing first half which did little to warm the crowd on a bitterly cold night in the Black Country.
It started brightly with both sides having shots on target in the opening three minutes, but it failed to live up to its early promise.
Besiktas went into the game with nothing to play for against a home side who were basically jostling for position at the top.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s men have been impressive in this competition for the most part, losing just one of their 11 games going into the match.
But that was the damaging 1-0 home defeat to Braga which left them settling for second spot in Group K after the Portuguese side’s 4-2 win at Bratislava.
Wolves stand-in goalkeeper John Ruddy was forced into early action when Tyler Boyd sent a 25-yarder flashing across the surface towards goal in the second minute. And though Ruddy had to scramble across his goal to make a diving save, he was always in control of the situation.
Within 60 seconds the play had switched to the other end where Joao Moutinho tried his luck from 20 yards but hit it straight at Besiktas keeper Utku Yuvakaran.
Patrick Cutrone did hit the net with a crisp shot from 12 yards, but the linesman’s flag was up sharply.
Wolves should have taken the lead in the 49th minute when Ruben Vinagre found Dendoncker, only to see him head it back across goal with the net at his mercy.
Then Jota came on and wasted no time in showing how it is done.