Three goals in 25 second-half minutes turned a tense Europa League opener into a statement. Beşiktaş's 4-1 win over Marseille at Besiktas Park was built on a midfield performance that simply outran and out-thought the visitors after the break.
Fakili opens with early composure
Ilhan Fakili gave the home side the lead after 15 minutes, playing a one-two with Junior Olaitan on the edge of the box and finishing through the goalkeeper's legs from eight yards. Marseille found a response when Himad Abdelli lifted a pass from the halfway line over the defensive line, sending Keyliane Abdallah clear to beat Alexander Nübel at the near post in the 29th minute.
Kökçü orchestrates the second-half surge
The match changed on Orkun Kökçü's vision. His pass set up Václav Černý in the 56th minute, and the winger cut inside on the right angle before curling a left-footed finish off the far post. Three minutes later, Kökçü's corner found Amir Murillo unmarked, and the defender powered a header into the net.
Ernest Poku completed the scoring in the 81st minute after Olaitan drove from midfield and slipped an outside-of-the-boot pass to his right. Poku's low 14-yard finish into the bottom corner removed any doubt about the outcome.
Possession converted into control
Beşiktaş's 54% possession translated into seven shots on target from 18 attempts, while Marseille managed only three on target from 14 shots. The home side's ruthlessness after the interval exposed the gap between the teams, with the French visitors unable to sustain their first-half threat.
The result puts Beşiktaş third in the league stage with three points, while Marseille sit 32nd without a point. The pressure now shifts to their next European fixture, where defensive solidity must replace a second-half collapse.
Match Information
Competition: UEFA Europa League
Date & Time: Thursday 17 September 2026, 21:00 CET
Venue: Besiktas Park, Istanbul
Referee: A. Colombo
