Beşiktaş beat Sarpsborg at UEFA Europa League
ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency
Turkey's Beşiktaş beat Norwegian Sarpsborg 3-1 in their first game in Europa League 2018-19 group stage on Sept. 20.
The UEFA Europa League group stage began on Sept. 20.
In Group I game, Black Eagles pressured well the Norwegian side at Beşiktaş' Vodafone Park in Istanbul and had relatively more possession but Sarpsborg had created better chances in the first half of the match.
Black Eagles started the second half with better chances and scored the goal at 51st minute with Babel.
At 69th minute, Ljajic delivered a free-kick and Roco rose to head past Vasyutin and scored the second goal for Black Eagles. Beşiktaş' Lens drilled in the third goal to kill off any comeback hopes for Norwegian side.
Sarpsborg scored at 90 4 with a powerful header by Zachariassen.
The sides met for first time in UEFA competition and Sarpsborg made their first trip to Turkey.
Beşiktaş finished fourth in Turkey last season, while Sarpsborg were third in Norway.
The first two teams each from 12 groups will reach the last 32 round of the Europa League. The final will be held in the Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan on May 29.
Turkey's Galatasaray, the Lions, is the only Turkish club that won the cup in 1999-2000.
