Everton played away at Swiss side BSC Young Boys tonight, winning 4-1- in the first round of the Europa League knockout stages. On a night where most scorelines were pretty close, Romelu Lukaku blew the home side out of the water as he bagged his first hat-trick for the Toffees.
The first came in the 23rd minute, as Everton were working to get back in the game after conceding early.
Seamus Coleman put Everton ahead a few minutes later. In the 38th minute, Lukaku struck again to put the game out of reach for Young Boys.
Just before the hour mark, the big man finished the job.
Everton take a huge advantage in both aggregate score and away goals into the second leg at home. Even with John Stones suspended after being sent off this evening, it’s hard to imagine a world in which the Toffees don’t go through.