PARIS (AP) – Midfielder Vicinha showed off his shooting talent with a hat trick as Paris Saint-Germain came from behind twice to beat Tottenham 5-3 in the Champions League on Wednesday.
He scored the first goal with his right foot, the second with his left foot, and then scored a penalty.
“(This is special) I think it’s definitely the first time in my career that I’ve scored two goals in one game,” he said. “It shows the character of the team. It’s not the first time we (lost) a game.”
Fellow midfielder Fabian Ruiz and defender Willian Pacho also scored as defending champions PSG coped well without their star forward.
Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele was on the bench after returning from injury, while Desiree Douet, who scored twice in last season’s Champions League final in a 5-0 win over Inter Milan, is still recovering from injury.
Tottenham took the lead in the 35th minute with a deft shot down the left following a quick counter-attack.
After a fine exchange of passes, Archie Gray crossed at the back post and Randall Kolo Muani, on loan from PSG this season, nodded the ball over the goal for Brazil forward Richarlison to easily head home from close range.
However, Tottenham’s defense was unable to contain Vicinha in front of the penalty area and just before half-time, Vicinha deftly slotted a shot into the top right corner of the goal.
The 25-year-old Portugal international scored his second goal in the 53rd minute into the left corner from just inside the area after being given too much space. It happened three minutes after Kolo Muani put Spurs ahead 2-1.
PSG then scored in quick succession with Luiz’s low shot and Pacho’s close-range shot from a corner kick, and Tottenham’s defense cracked for the second time in recent days, handing the team their fourth defeat in six games. europa league winners Lost 1-4 to Premier League leaders Arsenal on sunday.
Thomas Frank’s side caused problems for PSG in the season opener, the UEFA Super Cup, in August. 2-0 lead before losing on penalties late in PSG’s rally.
Tottenham’s clever attack proved difficult to stop and Kolo Muani pulled it back 4-3 in the 73rd minute after Vicinha made a rare mistake and lost the ball near the PSG area.
Moments later, Vicinha completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after defender Cristian Romero blocked his shot with his arm.
Vicinha finished third in the men’s Ballon d’Or voting, but until Wednesday night he had not been much of a scorer, scoring a modest 21 goals in 170 games.
When he was substituted just before stoppage time, he received a standing ovation from the crowd at the Parc des Princes. ___
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