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Besiktas secured a commanding 4-1 win over Ireland’s St. Patrick’s Athletic in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round on Thursday, taking a major step toward the play-off stage.
Playing at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin, the Turkish club overwhelmed the hosts early, with Joao Mario contributing a goal and an assist in the opening 30 minutes. English striker Tammy Abraham added a first-half hat trick, scoring in the 14th, 23rd, and 43rd minutes — the last from the penalty spot — to give Besiktas a 4-0 lead at halftime.
St. Patrick’s pulled one back through Simon Power in the 49th minute, but goalkeeper Mert Gunok made a crucial save shortly after to preserve the lead.
Abraham became the first Besiktas player to score a first-half hat trick in European competition. His three goals came within 29 minutes, continuing his scoring streak after netting against Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers. He now has four goals in the 2025–26 season.
Portuguese midfielder Joao Mario scored for the second consecutive European fixture, having also found the net against Shakhtar. His goal in the eighth minute opened the scoring in Dublin.
After back-to-back defeats to Shakhtar in the Europa League second qualifying round, Besiktas recorded its first win of the season.
The result was also their first-ever victory against an Irish opponent in European competition.
The return leg will be played at Tupras Stadium in Istanbul on Thursday, August 14. The winner will face either Lausanne or Astana in the play-off round.
Lausanne defeated Astana 3-1 at home in their first-leg match, taking the upper hand in the tie. If Besiktas advances, they will meet the winner for a place in the group stage.
Milot Rashica was absent from the squad due to illness. Head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed the 29-year-old Kosovan midfielder remained at the team hotel after falling sick ahead of the match.
Despite the emphatic win, Besiktas continued to struggle defensively. They have now conceded in each of their last three European matches, totaling seven goals across those fixtures.
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