Thu Jul 24 18:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Shakhtar Donetsk Takes First Leg Lead Against Beşiktaş in Europa League Qualifier
**Istanbul, Turkey** – Shakhtar Donetsk defeated Beşiktaş 2-1 in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round match at Tüpraş Stadyumu on Thursday evening. The match, broadcast live on HT Spor, saw Shakhtar take an early lead, but Beşiktaş managed to pull one back before halftime.
Santana put Shakhtar ahead after Uduokhai deflected his shot into his own net. Eguinaldo extended the lead with a well-placed header, capitalizing on space at the far post. Beşiktaş responded when Tammy Abraham converted a penalty awarded after a handball by Matviyenko.
Despite a strong start from Beşiktaş, Shakhtar held on to secure the victory. Beşiktaş new signings Tammy Abraham, David Jurasek, and Orkun Kökçü made their debuts.
The match marked a return to Istanbul for Shakhtar’s new coach, Arda Turan, formerly of Eyüpspor. Turan has struggled against Beşiktaş in his managerial career, losing all three encounters.
Beşiktaş will now travel to Ukraine for the second leg, hoping to overturn the deficit and advance in the Europa League. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer expressed confidence in his team’s preparation ahead of the game, but Shakhtar’s performance proved to be a difficult first step in the European campaign.
First Piper 