Diogo Jota hat-trick fires Wolves to easy win over Besiktas in Europa League

Four goals in the space of 11 second-half minutes - the first, second and last of them from substitute Diogo Jota - gave already-qualified Wolves fans a rousing finish to the group stage of their Europa League campaign as a Besiktas side that had already been eliminated put up only meek resistance to Nuno Espirito Santo’s team.

Yet Wolves still finish behind Sporting Braga, the only side to have beaten them in the competition so far, in Group K.

Both sides made wholesale changes, Although Wolves still had their eyes on winning the group, the priority for head coach Nuno was to keep key players fit ahead of Sunday’s important Premier League clash with Tottenham at Molineux. He made seven changes from the side that drew 2-2 at Brighton.

His opposite number Abdullah Avci made 10, although at least he brought some form. Since losing at home to Wolves in October, Besiktas had recorded nine wins from 12 in all competitions, climbing to second in the Turkish Super Lig.

The first half lacked intensity.  Wolves, with Pedro Neto and Patrick Cutrone up front, were the dominant side, but without ever looking like taking control. Cutrone was guilty twice of squandering good positions by being caught offside.

Besiktas offered little, although one deep free kick struck by Oguzhan Ozyakup had John Ruddy stretching to palm the ball away to safety.

Yet the Cutrone-Neto partnership clicked 13 minutes into the second half to create the chance for the goal that gave Wolves the edge and, it transpired, opened the floodgates.

The Italian’s clever flicked pass released Neto in space on the right, after which Portuguese had the strength and footwork to bypass the three defenders closing him down and cross to the far post, where Jota arrived to head home.

Jota, whose first goal came barely a minute after he had replaced an off-key Ruben Neves, then put the match to bed effectively with his and Wolves’ second goal six minutes later, following in after Besiktas ‘keeper Utku Yuvakuran had pushed Dendoncker’s stinging drive on to a post.

Dendoncker made it 3-0 on 67 minutes, heading home a Joao Moutinho corner, before Jota completed his hat-trick two minutes later, ramming the ball into the net at the far post from Oskar Buur’s cross.