Football
Football
Oh Hyeon-gyu’s Besiktas Claims Victory in Europa League Korean Derby
Oh Hyeon-gyu’s Besiktas Claims Victory in Europa League Korean Derby
Besiktas secured a 1-0 win over Midtjylland in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League second qualifying round match, which featured a highly anticipated “Korean Derby.” The contest, held on August 24th in Istanbul, Turkey, saw Oh Hyeon-gyu emerge victorious against his compatriots Lee Han-beom and Cho Gue-sung.
Oh Hyeon-gyu started as a forward for Besiktas, playing 66 minutes before being substituted in the 18th minute of the second half. He was an active presence in attack, registering three shots, including a right-footed turning shot in the 10th minute of the second half that went directly to the goalkeeper. Lee Han-beom played the entire match as a central defender in Midtjylland’s three-man backline, while Cho Gue-sung entered the game as a substitute in the 18th minute of the second half.
The decisive moment came in the first half when Midtjylland was reduced to ten men after a red card in the 15th minute. Besiktas capitalized on the numerical advantage, with Orkun Kökçü scoring the winning goal from a right-footed long-range shot in the 26th minute of the first half. Despite firing 28 shots throughout the game, Besiktas could not extend their lead. Midtjylland, battling with ten players, was unable to find an equalizer.
Besiktas will now head into the second leg on August 31st needing only a draw to advance to the third qualifying round. The match marked a reunion for Oh Hyeon-gyu, Lee Han-beom, and Cho Gue-sung, who recently represented their national team together in World Cup qualifiers.
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