UCL: Beşiktaş: 1 FC Porto: 1

Beşiktaş have done it! Beşiktaş have secured themselves a place in the knock-out stages of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in the club’s illustrious history.

With 10 points from 4 games already in the bag Beşiktaş needed just one precious point ahead of their clash with second placed FC Porto at the Vodafone Park tonight. The Black Eagles knew that if they held the Portuguese league leaders to a draw that there would be no catching them in the remaining group stage game.

Porto on the other hand had to win this match to possibly assure themselves of that ticket to the knock-out stages, although that would always depend on Leipzig’s result away at AS Monaco later on the night.

Porto took the brightest start to the match and made it clear that they were in Istanbul to come away with 3 points, but Sergio Conceiçao’s men could only push Beşiktaş back for a while with most of the danger coming through Yacine Brahimi on the left hand side, but a superb Pepe and Adriano were alert and up to the task to hold off the Portuguese onslaught.

But it were the Black Eagles who first truely threatened, Ryan Babel lined up a shot from 30 meters and put Porto’s goalkeeper José Sá’s gloves to the test after 19 minutes.

Anderson Talisca bagged his 3rd Champions league goal this term as Cenk Tosun turned provider to the equalizer.

When the match was settling down and Beşiktaş started to take control of possession, Porto suddenly struck out of a tactical free-kick. Telles took it short over the right and passed it to Ricardo Pereira, who’s center found Felipe in the box: 0-1 to Porto just before the halfhour mark.

Beşiktaş needed atleast a draw to ensure qualification so they needed to find an equaliser, four minutes after Porto’s opener Adriano found Quaresma on the right: the Portuguese magician controlled the ball briliantly inside the box and immediately fired a shot toward goal but again José Sá fisted away the danger.

The Black Eagles would not be denied however as Cenk Tosun showed some fantastic skill on the ball on the left hand side and presented Anderson Talisca with the tap-in equalizer: 1-1 after 41 minutes.

The scoreline remained the same for the remainderd of the first half and we headed in to halftime with the scoreline all square: 1-1.

Beşiktaş made one change at halftime as Gary Medel took Dusko Tosic’s place in the centre of defence next to Pepe. The Black Eagles took a bright start to the second half in search of a second goal, again Ryan Babel came close to putting the Black Eagles in front but the crossbar denied the Dutch winger a glorious Champions League goal from the edge of the area in the 58th minute.

As the match progressed Sergio Conceiçao threw on more offensive forces as Porto had to take more risks, but Pepe & co were up to the defensive task as Beşiktaş held on to the draw and for the first time in the club’s illustrious history book themselves a ticket to the knock-out stages of the UEFA Champions League, as group winners no less with 11 points from 5 games.

Beşiktaş will travel to Germany for their final group stage game against Leipzig on the 6th of December. FC Porto will host AS Monaco.

Later tonight Monaco and Leipzig will square off at the Stade Louis II, which will most likely decide who will go to the UEFA Europa League.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Beşiktaş are the first and only Turkish club to finish an UEFA Champions League group stage campaign as group leaders
• Beşiktaş are the first and only Turkish club to win their opening 3 matches to a UEFA Champions League group stage
• Beşiktaş have equalized the Turkish record for most points in a single Champions League campaign (11) and will improve said record should they get any points away at Leipzig.
• Beşiktaş Have qualified for the UEFA Champions League knock-out stages for the first time in the club’s history.
• Cenk Tosun has been involved in 5 Chamions League goals in his 5 appearances this season? (4 goals, 1 assist)

Stadium: Vodafone Park

Official: Mateu Lahoz (ESP)

Beşiktaş XI: Fabricio Ramirez; Gökhan Gönul – Pepe – Duško Tošić (46′ Gary Medel) – Adriano Correia; Atiba Hutchinson – Tolgay Arslan – Anderson Talisca (87′ Oğuzhan Özyakup); Ricardo Quaresma (90′ Álvaro Negredo) – Cenk Tosun – Ryan Babel

Reserves: Tolga Zengin, Matej Mitrovic, Gary Medel, Caner Erkin, Oğuzhan Özyakup, Jeremain Lens, Álvaro Negredo

Head coach: Şenol Güneş

FC Porto XI: José Sa; Maxi Pereira, Ivan Marcano, Felipe, Alex Telles; Hector Herrera (90′ Diego Reyes), Ricardo Pereira (79′ Oliver Corona), Danilo Pereira; Sergio Oliveria, Vincent Aboubakar, Yacine Brahimi

Reserves: Iker Casillas, Miguel Layun, Diego Reyes, Oliver Torres, Andre Andre, Hernani, Jesus Corona

Head coach: Sergio Conceiçao

Goals: Felipe (29′), Anderson Talisca (41′)

Yellow cards: Maxi Pereira (23′), Anderson Talisca (43′), Gökhan Gönül (65′)

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Kaan Bayazit

Editor-in-chief at Beşiktaş International

Freelance sports writer specialized in Turkish football and Beşiktaş. Co-host of the Black Eagles podcast. Frequently featured in World Soccer Digest Japan and many other international media outlets. Following Turkish football for close to two decades. Proud father to Aedin.

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