Former Tottenham star nets hat-trick to create MLS history on first start

Former Tottenham striker Vincent Janssen scored an historic hat-trick for Portland Timbers on his first MLS start.

Janssen, who was at Spurs from 2016 to 2019, notched a crucial treble as the Timbers edged a 5-4 thriller against Minnesota United.

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Janssen’s landmark moment

In doing so, the 32-year-old Dutchman became the first Timbers player ever to hit a hat-trick in MLS.

The ex-Netherlands international joined the Timbers this summer after a fruitful four-year spell with Antwerp in Belgium, where he did the double in 2022/23.

It’s his second stint in North America following a trophy-laden three-year stay at Mexican club Monterrey between 2019 and 2022.

And he’s off the mark for his new club in style, helping them into the play-off places in the MLS’ Western Conference with five games remaining in the regular season.

“Obviously it’s very special to score a hat-trick,” Janssen told Apple TV at full-time.

“It’s always a special moment in your career. You don’t have a lot of them.

“It’s a pleasure. I was able to sign here a month ago, a bit longer.

“To be able to be part of this club, I’m very proud and happy of that, and today this is a way of showing the appreciation back to the team and to the fans.”

Janssen gets his first taste of a unique tradition

Janssen’s reward for his exploits? Well, hat-trick scorers tend to take home the matchball – but he got another prize: a slab of log.

Every Timbers goalscorer receives one, sliced by chainsaw-wielding mascot Timber Joey.

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Janssen opened the scoring in a chaotic encounter in Oregon from the penalty spot after 11 minutes, before putting the Timbers 3-0 up midway through the second half.

Minnesota came roaring back, reducing the deficit to 3-2 before half-time then drawing themselves level shortly after the break.

But Janssen restored the hosts’ lead minutes later and they went on to record their sixth home win in seven games in all competitions.

It was some comeback from Janssen himself after he was sent off barely 20 minutes after coming off the bench in his previous outing against LAFC.

He’ll look to add to his goals tally when the Timbers entertain St. Louis City in another MLS clash in midweek.

The Timbers’ English connection

Portland Timbers are now managed by former Queens Park Rangers and Leicester boss Martin Cifuentes, who succeeded Phil Neville in the dugout.

MLS champions back in 2015, they also finished as runners-up in the MLS Cup, the league’s title match, in 2018 and 2021.

Janssen is among a host of ex-Premier League players currently plying their trade in MLS.

Others include Luis Suarez – a teammate of Lionel Messi at Inter Miami – and Janssen’s former Spurs colleague Heung-Min Son, who joined LAFC after leaving Tottenham last year.