Vitinha's hat trick helps PSG rally twice to beat Tottenham 5-3 in Champions League

PARIS (AP) — Midfielder Vitinha showed his shooting prowess with a hat trick as Paris Saint-Germain twice came from behind to beat Tottenham 5-3 in the Champions League on Wednesday.

He scored the first with his right foot, the second with his left and then converted a penalty.

“Without doubt (it’s special), I think it’s the first time I even scored two goals in a match in my career,” he said. “It shows the character of the side, it’s not the first time (we have been behind) in a game.”

Fellow midfielder Fabián Ruiz and defender Willian Pacho also scored as defending champion PSG coped well in attack without its star forwards.

Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé was on the bench after returning from injury and Désiré Doué, who scored twice in last season's 5-0 win against Inter Milan in the Champions League final, is still recovering from injury.

Tottenham took the lead from a swift counterattack in the 35th minute with a well-worked move down the left.

Following a neat interchange of passes, Archie Gray clipped a cross to the back post and Randal Kolo Muani — who is on loan from PSG this season — nodded the ball across goal to give Brazil forward Richarlison an easy close-range header.

But Tottenham's defense failed to close down Vitinha on the edge of the penalty area and he deftly guided a shot into the top right corner moments before halftime.

The 25-year-old Portugal international curled his second goal into the left corner from just inside the area in the 53rd, after again being given too much space. It came three minutes after Kolo Muani had put Spurs in front 2-1.

PSG then scored in quick succession from Ruiz's low shot and Pacho's effort from close range following a corner as Tottenham's defense cracked for the second time in a matter of days, and the team was beaten for the fourth time in six games. The Europa League winner lost 4-1 to Premier League leader Arsenal on Sunday.

Coach Thomas Frank's team had caused PSG problems in the season-opening UEFA Super Cup in August, leading 2-0 before losing in a penalty shootout following a late PSG rally.

Tottenham's slick attacking proved difficult to stop and Kolo Muani pulled it back to 4-3 in the 73rd after Vitinha made a rare mistake and lost the ball near PSG's area.

Moments later, Vitinha completed his hat trick from the penalty spot after defender Cristian Romero blocked his shot with his arm.

Vitinha was third in the men’s Ballon d’Or vote but, prior to Wednesday night, had not stood out that much for his scoring, netting a modest 21 goals in 170 games.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

PSG's Vitinha scores on a penalty his side's fifth goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Tottenham, in Paris, Wednesday, Nov.26, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PSG's Vitinha celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's first goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Tottenham, in Paris, Wednesday, Nov.26, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PSG's Vitinha celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Tottenham, in Paris, Wednesday, Nov.26, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PSG's Vitinha celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Tottenham, in Paris, Wednesday, Nov.26, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PSG's Vitinha celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Tottenham, in Paris, Wednesday, Nov.26, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

NEW YORK (AP) — Some of New York's biggest basketball heroes were second-round draft picks.

Like Jalen Brunson, the guy marching through Manhattan with the Larry O'Brien Trophy in his arms last week during a joyous parade celebration. And Willis Reed, the guy who limped into Game 7 of the NBA Finals to lift the Knicks to their first championship.

So when the NBA draft resumed Wednesday night with the Knicks on the clock with the No. 31 pick, every team had hope of finding someone who can be a key piece of a title team.

They drafted Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton, but had already agreed to trade the rights to the pick to Houston by the time NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum announced the selection.

Thornton was given a Knicks hat when his name was announced. He was wearing a Rockets one by the time he arrived for his interviews.

He was just happy to get to the NBA, even if it was in Texas and not with the new champions.

“No state tax, so that's even better,” said Thornton, Ohio State's career scoring leader.

The first round, which began with Washington selecting AJ Dybantsa, finished late Tuesday night.

In a much different NBA with a different draft format, Reed was the No. 8 pick in the 1964 draft, which made him the first pick of the second round. The Hall of Famer went on to lead the Knicks to championships in 1970 and 1973 and was the NBA Finals MVP both times.

Brunson was the No. 33 pick in the 2018 draft, taken early in the second round by the Dallas Mavericks. The Knicks signed him as a free agent in 2022 and the franchise hs been on the rise ever since, culminating with their five-game victory over the San Antonio Spurs earlier this month when Brunson was MVP of the series.

Among the other well-known names taken early in the second round were Richie Saunders, Dybantsa's BYU teammate who was taken at No. 32 by Memphis; Duke's Isaiah Evans, who went undrafted in the first round and was selected at No. 33 with a pick belonging to Minnesota; and Purdue's Braden Smith, the NCAA's career assists leader, who was taken at No. 38 by Chicago.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

Meleek Thomas, right, poses for a photo with NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum after being selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the NBA basketball draft Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Jack Kayil, right, poses for a photo with NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum after being selected by the Houston Rockets in the second round of the NBA basketball draft Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Bruce Thornton waves after being selected by the New York Knicks in the second round of the NBA basketball draft Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Bruce Thornton poses for a photo with NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum after being selected by the New York Knicks in the second round of the NBA basketball draft Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks during the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

in the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)