Tottenham 7-2 Maccabi Haifa: Harry Kane's hat-trick sends Spurs into the Europa League group stage

One game from the end of their gruelling opening sequence and all the face coverings in London were unable to mask Jose Mourinho's delight.

When he branded the schedule 'inhuman', the Tottenham boss was both aiming his complaints at the authorities and issuing a challenge to his players. The response, he will consider to have been somewhere close to super-human.

Not because they have been faultless every step of the way but from the defeat against Everton to Thursday night's madcap goal feast against Maccabi Haifa, they have shown desire to fight and scrap in difficult circumstances.

On Thursday night, they were able to enjoy scoring goals against obliging opponents, with a hat-trick for Harry Kane, two for Giovani Lo Celso, one for Lucas Moura and a goal from the spot for Dele Alli, who came on to play the second half.

Tottenham were, at times, wide open at the back but might have scored more and, ultimately, are alive in two competitions Mourinho will have his eyes on winning, in the last eight of the Carabao Cup and the group stages of the Europa League.

Had it not been for a rather silly last-minute penalty decision against Newcastle they would be two points better off in the Premier League.

As it is, they are unbeaten in six games as they go to Manchester United on Sunday, the attackers are scoring goals, the new signings are settling nicely and Gareth Bale should be ready to go when after the international break.

Mourinho would have signed up for this outcome were it available at the start of the season.

This was their seventh outing in 19 days, including trips to Bulgaria and North Macedonia, where the goals were the wrong size, and penalties against Chelsea.

It would have been eight but for the bye past Leyton Orient who suffered an outbreak of Covid-19.

All in, it has been a stressful opening month to the new campaign and, until Kane scored the sixth, with 16 minutes to go, this was not always quite as smooth as the seven goals make it appear.

Kane opened the scoring inside two minutes, unmarked to tap into an open goal from close range after good approach play on the left by Steven Bergwijn and a low cross, delivered to perfection, by Ben Davies.

They were vibrant in attack and vulnerable at the back and Haifa levelled when former QPR midfielder Tjaronn Chery beat Joe Hart with a screamer from 30 yards.

The Israelis celebrated but they were soon trailing again when Lucas scored with a glancing header at the near post from an inswinging corner from Bergwijn.

This time, Mourinho's side stretched ahead. Kane fought a cross down in front of goal and Davies kept it alive, enabling Lo Celso to pounced, confidently sweeping the chance into the top corner.

It was his first goal since January and he scored again, three minutes later, when Kane punished a slip by central defender Bogdan Planic. Lo Celso arrived to receive the pass and clipped a sweet finish over keeper Cohen who slid from his goal line.

Four up at halfway, this must have been what Mourinho had in mind. A comprehensive lead against obliging opponents and the chance to conserve a little energy ahead of Sunday's trip to Old Trafford.

On came Alli to replace Lo Celso but Haifa remained lively in attack, Spurs far from solid in defence, and Nikita Rukavytsya reduced the deficit from the penalty spot.

It was another bewildering handball decision, this time against Matt Doherty, although easier to accept with a healthy cushion than the one which proved so costly against Newcastle.

Easier to accept, too, when French referee Ruddy Buquet levelled matters up by almost immediately giving one to Spurs.

Kane scored his second of the night from the spot and completed his hat-trick with a neat dink over the 'keeper. Then, he came off to rest for United and Alli made it seven. Tripped in the last minute, he stepped up to score the third penalty of the game.

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