A goal for Matt Doherty and one of the worst misses of all time as Wolves progress despite Euro defeat

JONATHAN CALLERI’S HAT-TRICK in a 3-2 victory over Wolves was in vain as Espanyol suffered a 6-3 aggregate defeat in the Europa League last-32 tie.

A Diogo Jota treble helped to give Wolves a 4-0 first-leg advantage they never looked likely to give up at RCDE Stadium on Thursday.

Calleri struck either side of Adama Traore’s sixth goal of the season in all competitions – a career high for the former Barcelona player – with Wolves levelling through Matt Doherty’s strike.

Pedro Neto somehow missed an open goal for Wolves and Espanyol claimed victory on the night when Calleri nodded in Pipa’s centre in stoppage time.

Espanyol gave themselves brief hope of mounting an unlikely fightback when Calleri turned in a low left-wing cross from Adria Pedrosa in the 16th minute.

Their lead lasted just six minutes, though, as Daniel Podence, making his first start for Wolves after arriving from Olympiacos in January, picked out Traore in the box and he finished at the second attempt.

Calleri made it 5-2 on aggregate in the 57th minute by converting a penalty conceded by Max Kilman for a foul on David Lopez, then Wolves’ Morgan Gibbs-White had an appeal for a spot-kick rejected at the other end.

Lopez tested Rui Patricio from distance as LaLiga’s bottom side tried to set up an exciting finish but the lively Podence capitalised on slack defending to set up Doherty for a tap-in with 11 minutes left.