St. Patrick's gets defeated by Besiktas 4-1 in the UEFA Conference League qualifier match, played away from home.
Beşiktaş Takes Commanding Lead Against St. Patrick's Athletic in UEFA Conference League
Beşiktaş secured a dominant 4-1 win against St. Patrick's Athletic in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League third qualifying round tie, setting the stage for a potential play-off round berth. The return leg is scheduled for August 14, 2025, at Tupras Stadium in Istanbul.
In a performance reminiscent of their glory days, Beşiktaş, managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, put on a show at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. The Turkish giants took the lead early through Joao Mario and never looked back, with Tammy Abraham scoring a first-half hat-trick to extend their advantage. Abraham's goals came in the 14th, 23rd, and 43rd minutes, the last one from the penalty spot.
Despite conceding in each of their last three European matches, totaling seven goals across those fixtures, Beşiktaş's defence held firm against St. Patrick's Athletic. The Irish side managed to score one goal in the 49th minute, but Beşiktaş's goalkeeper Mert Gunok made a crucial save shortly after to preserve the lead.
The win marks Beşiktaş's first victory of the 2025-26 season in European competition. Abraham now has four goals to his name this season, with Joao Mario contributing a goal and an assist in the opening 30 minutes of the match.
The winner of the tie between Besiktas and St. Patrick's Athletic will face either Lausanne or Astana in the play-off round. The specific play-off round opponent for Beşiktaş will be determined by UEFA after all third qualifying round ties conclude. The play-off round is the final qualifying stage before the league phase of the Conference League.
As Beşiktaş prepares for the second leg, they will aim to secure their spot in the play-off round and continue their journey towards the group stage of the UEFA Conference League.
In the upcoming return leg scheduled for August 14 at Tupras Stadium in Istanbul, Beşiktaş will face St. Patrick's Athletic aiming to secure a spot in the play-off round of the UEFA Conference League. Despite conceding in their last three European matches, Beşiktaş's Turkish goalkeeper, Mert Gunok, showed resilience, making a crucial save to preserve their lead in this tie.
