Vitinha’s hat trick helps PSG rally twice to beat Tottenham 5-3 in Champions League

PARIS (AP) – Midfielder Vitinha showed his shooting prowess with a hat trick as Paris Saint-Germain twice came from behind to beat Tottenham 5-3 in the Champions League on Wednesday.

He scored the first with his right foot, the second with his left and then converted a penalty.

“Without doubt (it’s special), I think it’s the first time I even scored two goals in a match in my career,” he said. “It shows the character of the side, it’s not the first time (we have been behind) in a game.”

Fellow midfielder Fabián Ruiz and defender Willian Pacho also scored as defending champion PSG coped well in attack without its star forwards.

Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé was on the bench after returning from injury and Désiré Doué, who scored twice in last season’s 5-0 win against Inter Milan in the Champions League final, is still recovering from injury.

Tottenham took the lead from a swift counterattack in the 35th minute with a well-worked move down the left.

Following a neat interchange of passes, Archie Gray clipped a cross to the back post and Randal Kolo Muani – who is on loan from PSG this season – nodded the ball across goal to give Brazil forward Richarlison an easy close-range header.

But Tottenham’s defense failed to close down Vitinha on the edge of the penalty area and he deftly guided a shot into the top right corner moments before halftime.

The 25-year-old Portugal international curled his second goal into the left corner from just inside the area in the 53rd, after again being given too much space. It came three minutes after Kolo Muani had put Spurs in front 2-1.

PSG then scored in quick succession from Ruiz’s low shot and Pacho’s effort from close range following a corner as Tottenham’s defense cracked for the second time in a matter of days, and the team was beaten for the fourth time in six games. The Europa League winner lost 4-1 to Premier League leader Arsenal on Sunday.

Coach Thomas Frank’s team had caused PSG problems in the season-opening UEFA Super Cup in August, leading 2-0 before losing in a penalty shootout following a late PSG rally.

Tottenham’s slick attacking proved difficult to stop and Kolo Muani pulled it back to 4-3 in the 73rd after Vitinha made a rare mistake and lost the ball near PSG’s area.

Moments later, Vitinha completed his hat trick from the penalty spot after defender Cristian Romero blocked his shot with his arm.

Vitinha was third in the men’s Ballon d’Or vote but, prior to Wednesday night, had not stood out that much for his scoring, netting a modest 21 goals in 170 games.

He was given a standing ovation by the Parc des Princes crowd when he was substituted near the end of injury time. ___