Eredivisie play-offs: ADO Den Haag 5 Groningen 1

Jens Toornstra’s hat-trick helped ADO Den Haag to a 5-1 win over Groningen in Thursday’s Eredivisie Europa League play-off final first leg.

Hosts ADO led courtesy of midfielder Toornstra’s opening goal in the 21st minute of the match at the Kyocera Stadion.

Toornstra doubled the advantage with his and ADO’s second eight minutes into the second half.

While the visitors did pull one back through Belgian fullback Jonas Ivens on 64 minutes, it took just four minutes for ADO to restore the two-goal cushion, when attacking midfielder Lex Immers struck to make it 3-1.

A two-goal margin would have left Groningen with hope of making up the deficit in the second leg, but when Toornstra found the net to complete his hat-trick on 74 minutes, the tie began to look over as a contest.

And with forward Ramon Leeuwin breaching the Groningen defence for the fifth time in the match with six minutes remaining, ADO look all but assured of a Europa League berth next season ahead of Sunday’s second leg.