Harry Kane scored his first Champions League hat-trick as Tottenham won in Cyprus.
The striker – in ruthless form – was put through by Toby Alderweireld shortly before the interval and side-footed past goalkeeper Boy Waterman for the opener.
He added his second just after an hour of play after being found in the box by Moussa Sissoko, despite the home side’s gallant efforts at the other end, before heading in the third.
Igor de Camargo had hit the bar for APOEL, while Carlao and Roland Sallai also went close, but Kane took his tally to five goals in the current competition and nine in his last five matches this season.
Injuries forced Spurs into a number of changes, with Harry Winks starting and Kieran Trippier filling in at left wing-back to allow Ben Davies to play in a back three – and they appeared disjointed as APOEL bossed the first half.
De Camargo rattled the crossbar from inside the box and Carlao should have scored with an unmarked header, as Spurs were reduced to counter-attacking football that ultimately yielded Kane’s first of the night.
The hosts were unruffled and committed more bodies to attack in the second half, with Hugo Loris forced into two good saves to deny Roland Sanai and Stathis Aloneftis.
But Kane picked out the far corner from Sissoko’s cut-back on 63 minutes before completing his hat-trick four minutes later when Trippier, who had switched to right-back following Fernando Llorente’s introduction, picked him out with a pinpoint cross.
This post was last modified on 30/09/2017