Everton eased into the last 16 of the Europa League on Thursday as Romelu Lukaku's double inspired a 3-1 victory over BSC Young Boys that sealed a 7-2 aggregate success.
Roberto Martinez’s side had virtually guaranteed their progress with a 4-1 win in the first leg in Switzerland and Belgian striker Lukaku, who netted a hat-trick in that victory, finished his one-man demolition job with two more goals in the return at Goodison Park.
The Premier League club had fallen behind to Sekou Sanogo's early goal, but Lukaku equalised with a penalty and struck again five minutes later before Kevin Mirallas scored to end the contest before half-time.
With Liverpool, Tottenham and Celtic all crashing out on Thursday, Everton are flying the flag as the only British team left in the Europa League ahead of Friday’s draw.
Young Boys went ahead in the 13th minute when Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard could only parry Milan Vilotic’s effort straight to Sanogo, who scored from close-range despite the hosts’s appeals for offside.
The Swiss side almost got themselves right back in the tie when Scott Sutter’s header hit the crossbar.
But Lukaku ended their hopes with a quick-fire double, the first coming from the penalty spot in the 25th minute after Steven Naismith was fouled by goalkeeper Marco Wolfli.
The former Chelsea forward struck again on the half hour when he volleyed in Luke Garbutt’s cross.
Then, after cheers rang around the ground in celebration of the exit of arch rivals Liverpool, Belgian forward Mirallas ran onto Darron Gibson’s pass to slot in the third goal in the 42nd minute.
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE