Young Boys have succumbed to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Everton in this evening's Europa League round-of-32 first-leg clash at the Stade de Suisse.

The visitors began the game on the front foot as Bryan Oviedo whipped a cross into the box that spun towards goal and cannoned off the post.

However, the Swiss outfit broke the deadlock with their first shot of the game when Raphael Nuzzolo teed up an unmarked Guillaume Hoarau on the edge of the area, who duly took aim and curled a shot into the far corner of the net.

Unperturbed, Everton set about trying to find an equaliser and only had to wait until the 24th minute to do so, as Gareth Barry's cross was nodded home by Romelu Lukaku.

Just four minutes later the Toffees were in the lead, Steven Naismith lashing a ball across the face of goal and Seamus Coleman prodding past Yvon Mvogo into the far post.

Then, with just seven minutes left of the first half, Barry was once again on hand to whip a ball into the box that was deflected into the path of Lukaku, who had the simple task of tapping home.

It would get even better for Everton just before the hour, as Lukaku was able to kill off the game and secure his hat-trick in the process.

The young Belgian burst through the Young Boys ranks, bore down on goal and side-footed the ball into the net to make it 4-1.

Just a few minutes later, the hosts had a chance to give themselves hope of getting back in the game from the spot when John Stones was shown a red card for a late tackle on Hoarau in the Toffees box.

The veteran Frenchman stepped up to take the penalty but launched the effort high and wide into the stands, leaving Everton with little to do except see the game out and take a healthy aggregate lead into the second leg next week.