Beşiktaş stumbles in season opener against Shakhtar Donetsk with a 4-2 defeat

Beşiktaş began their UEFA Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round campaign on a sour note, suffering a 4-2 home defeat to Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, managed by former Turkish international Arda Turan. The result marks a challenging start to the 2025-26 season for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men, who were hosting their first official match of the new campaign at Tüpraş Stadium.

Shakhtar Donetsk wasted no time in asserting their dominance, taking an early lead in the 7th minute. Eguinaldo's pass found Alisson Santana on the right side outside the box. Santana cut inside, unleashing a powerful shot from the edge of the box that deflected off Uduokhai and found the back of the net, making it 0-1.

The Ukrainian visitors continued to threaten. In the 24th minute, a corner from the left was punched clear by Beşiktaş goalkeeper Mert Günok. Ocheretko's subsequent cross from the right side of the box ricocheted off Marlon's head inside the six-yard box, but the defense scrambled to clear the danger before it could turn into a goal.

Shakhtar then doubled their lead in the 28th minute. Alisson Santana, driving into the box from the right wing, delivered a cross to the back post, where Eguinaldo headed the ball into the net, extending their advantage to 0-2.

Beşiktaş found a lifeline in the 39th minute when they were awarded a penalty. Orkun Kökçü's corner from the right saw Uduokhai's header strike Konoplia's arm inside the box, prompting referee Georgi Kabakov to point to the spot. New signing Tammy Abraham stepped up to take the penalty, striking the ball down the middle to open his Beşiktaş account and reduce the deficit to 1-2.

The Black Eagles tried to capitalize on their momentum before halftime. In the 43rd minute, Abraham headed a ball from midfield to Gedson Fernandes on the right wing, whose diagonal shot from inside the box was saved by Riznyk's feet. Moments later, in the 46th minute, Orkun Kökçü's pass found Rafa Silva on the left side of the box, but his low shot was tipped around the post by Riznyk at the base of the post.

Shakhtar re-established their two-goal cushion in the 67th minute. Alisson Santana, after skillfully evading Kartal Kayra Yılmaz on the right wing, fired a diagonal shot that deflected off a defender and landed at the back post. Kevin was there to tap the ball into an open net, making it 1-3.

Beşiktaş managed to pull a goal back in the 87th minute. Rafa Silva's shot from just inside the box was parried by the goalkeeper, and Joao Mario slid in to finish the rebound from close range, narrowing the score to 2-3.

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However, the Ukrainian side sealed their victory in the 90+5th minute. A Shakhtar attack saw Bondarenko lay the ball back from the right side of the box to Kevin, who controlled it and unleashed a shot into the top right corner, securing a 2-4 victory for Shakhtar Donetsk.

The 4-2 defeat severely complicates Beşiktaş's chances of progressing to the next round ahead of the return leg in Poland on July 31st. The performance drew strong reactions from Beşiktaş supporters throughout the match.

Arda Turan secures first win against Beşiktaş

For Arda Turan, this victory held particular significance. In his fourth encounter against Beşiktaş as a coach, he finally tasted success, having lost all three previous matches while managing Eyüpspor. During his tenure there, his teams lost 4-0 in the Turkish Cup, and 2-1 and 3-1 in the league to Beşiktaş. Turan's overall record when facing Beşiktaş at their home stadium, including his playing career, now stands at 1 win in 11 matches; his sole previous victory came with Atletico Madrid in a UEFA Europa League game.

Shakhtar Donetsk's dominance over Turkish teams continues

Shakhtar Donetsk maintained their undefeated record against Turkish teams in European competitions. Having previously faced Fenerbahçe, Başakşehir, Konyaspor, and Sivasspor in both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, the Ukrainian side has now played 9 matches against Turkish opposition, recording 8 wins and 1 draw. In these encounters, they have scored a dominant 20 goals while conceding only 2.

Tammy Abraham opens account

Beşiktaş's new marquee signing, Tammy Abraham, celebrated his first goal for the Black Eagles tonight. Making his debut at Dolmabahçe, Abraham confidently converted a penalty in the 39th minute, scoring Beşiktaş's first official goal of the season. The experienced English striker was later substituted in the 71st minute due to a suspected injury.

Fan reactions: From frustration to support, then protest...

Beşiktaş supporters displayed a mixed range of emotions during the season opener. After Shakhtar went 2-0 up, chants of "This is an embarrassment to the fans" echoed through the stadium. However, at the end of the first half, the fans rallied, calling the players to the stands to offer moral support.

As the match progressed into its final stages, sections of the crowd were heard chanting in favor of former coach Sergen Yalçın for a period. After Shakhtar's fourth goal, a significant portion of the fans began to leave the stadium, and at the final whistle, many remaining supporters booed in protest against the team's performance.

Beşiktaş academy product Kartal Kayra Yılmaz made a long-awaited return to the Black Eagles' shirt tonight, playing his first match for the club in 1067 days. Having spent recent seasons on loan at various clubs, Yılmaz, who last featured for Beşiktaş on August 21, 2022, against Fatih Karagümrük, entered the game in the 60th minute, replacing Milot Rashica after an absence of 2 years, 11 months, and 2 days.