Besiktas 3 - Lokomotiv Moscow 0

Referees: Alfredo Tratalange [Italya](***), Salvatore Marano [Italya](***), Giappierro Gregory [Italya](***)

Besiktas: Shorunmu(***), Halilagic(****), Khletsov(**)[37' Erman(***)], Ümit (**)[0' Rahim(**)], Karhan(***), Nihat(***), Tayfur(**), Munch(***), Mehmet(****), Ahmet(*)[60' Murat(**)], Nouma(**)

Tuesday 8th August 2000 by OneFootball.com

Late goals by Pascal Nouma (80 minutes) and Miroslav Karhan (injury time) ought to have put the Besiktas Black Eagles where they think they belong - in the group phase of the Champions' League.

"Ride the Locomotive" was the headline on the front page of sports daily Fanatik ahead of this third qualifying round encounter and Besiktas should have done exactly that after a dream start.

With just 10 minutes on the clock, man of the match Mehmet Ozdilek broke down the right and sent a perfectly weighted low cross into the path of Nihat Kahveci for the opening goal.

This should have relaxed the Eagles and enabled them to dominate Russian opponents who seldom looked more than ordinary. Instead they struggled to find a rhythm and for the remainder of the first half Ike Shorunmu in the home goal was the busier of the two keepers.

The second half was a different story as Besiktas gradually stepped up the pace. Even so, the Eagles came close to disaster with Bulykin scooping tamely over the bar on the hour when it appeared easier to score.

Nouma is looking more comfortable in the Besiktas colours with every passing match and he had already found himself three half chances before scoring the all-important second goal. Marcus Munch cut through a static defence down the left and crossed for the unmarked Nouma to slide home a precision right foot shot.

The fans would have settled for 2 - 0 and were already celebrating in the first minute of injury time when captain Mehmet popped up with another inch-perfect cross from the right, this time in the air and onto the head of Karhan who made no mistake.

The Besiktas supporters will recall famous collapses in the past, but three goals should be enough in Moscow on August 23 especially as new coach Nevio Scala has picked up where Hans Peter Briegel left off in turning out a team which knows how to win even when playing some way short of its best.

Besiktas: Shorunmu, Halilagic, Umit (46, Rahim), Karhan, Nihat, Tayfur, Khlestov (38, Erman), Munch, Nouma, Ahmet Dursun (60, Murat Alacayir)

Lokomotiv: Nigmatullin, Lavrik, Pachinin, Nizhegorodov, Tchougainov, Drozdov, Loskov, Kharlachev (54, Solomakin), Evseev, Bulykin (84, Sarkisian), Dzhanaschia (65, Pimenov)

Referee: Alfredo Tratelange (Italy)

Yellow card: Dzhanaschia (Lokomotiv)

Besiktas steam past disappointing Lokomotiv

Tuesday 8th August 2000 by Uefa.com

After conceding two goals in the closing stages, Lokomotiv Moscow face an uphill struggle if they are to deny Besiktas JK from booking their ticket to the UEFA Champions League First Group-Match Stage as the Turks recorded a much deserved 3-0 home win against the Russians in the first leg of their clash in the Third Qualifying Round.

Özdilek oozing confidence

Besiktas took the lead when man of the match Mehmet Özdilek broke down the right and sent a perfectly weighted low cross into the path of Nihat Kahveci, who obliged by hitting the ball into the back of the net. This should have relaxed the home side and enabled them to dominate their opponents, who seldom looked more than ordinary, but instead Besiktas struggled to find a rhythm and for the remainder of the opening period and
Turkish stopper Ike Ibrahim Shorunmu in the home goal was the busier of the two 'keepers.

Dramatic end

But the second half was a different story as Besiktas gradually stepped up the pace, even though they they were given a heavy scare when Dmitri Boulykine scooped tamely over the bar on the hour, when it appeared easier
to score. Former RC Lens striker Pascal Nouma is looking more comfortable in the Besiktas colours and he made amends for three missed chances when he scored the all-important second goal nine minutes from time. German import, Markus Münch, cut through a static defence down the left and crossed for the unmarked Nouma to slide the ball home at the near post. The fans were already celebrating in the first minute of injury time, when captain Mehmet produced another inch-perfect cross from the right, this time in the air and onto the head of Miroslav Karhan who made no mistake.