Beşiktaş lifted their derby curse with a 3-2 against Fenerbahçe at the Atatürk Olympic stadium to beat the Yellow Canaries for the first time since 3 March 2013.
Beşiktaş fielded a similar team as they did last week against Gençlerbirliği with the two notable differences being former Arsenal youth Oğuzhan Özyakup returning to the starting lineup replacing Necip Uysal in central midfield while Olcay Şahan was given the nod ahead of Quaresma.
Fenerbahçe welcomed back Simon Kjaer to the defence but he got off to a disastrous start heading the ball into his own net on 20 minutes.
Yellow Canaries boss Vitor Pereira decided to start with Fernandao over Robin van Persie; a decision which is bound to be questioned considering the Brazilian squandered several clear goal scoring opportunities.
Beşiktaş doubled their lead just four minutes after Kjaer opened the scoring with another goal from another set-piece. Mario Gomez was not in forgiving mood as he punished yet more poor Fenerbahçe defending from Jose Sosa’s corner to head the ball into the back of the net.
Despite conceding twice within 24 minutes on-loan Liverpool striker Lazar Markovic gave Beşiktaş a lot of bother with his pace and dribbling ability early on. The Serbian international managed an impressive six dribbles in just 37 minutes until his game was cut short due to injury.
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It was however, Beşiktaş full-back Tosic who soon got the away side back into the game with his second consecutive own goal to give the Canaries a lifeline going into the half-time break.
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Fernandao’s profligacy continued in the second half and he was eventually replaced by former Manchester United striker Robin van Persie on 60 minutes.
It took Van Persie just four minutes and his first shot on target to equalise. The Dutch star also came off the bench last week to score with his first shot on target just two minutes after his introduction to give his side a 2-1 lead against Bursaspor. The Netherlands international now has four goals and an assist since joining the Canaries over the summer.
Van Persie was not too pleased with having been left on the bench last week and we would not be at all surprised if he made his thoughts clear once again. Fenerbahçe could really have done with Van Persie’s experience, quality and finishing ability in a such an important game earlier on.
The scores did not remain level for long however, as Gökhan Töre burst down the wing on 74 minutes to whip in a cross that Gomez smashed into the back of the net with a flying header.
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Gomez was lethal infant of goal converting both chances he had in the game while Fernandao missed all four of his shots. The difference in quality of strikers ended up determining the outcome of the game to a large extent. Van Persie showed just what Fenerbahçe were missing once again when he hit the post in the last 10 minutes but the Canaries were unable to find another equaliser and succumbed to their first defeat of the season.
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The victory was more meant far more to Beşiktaş than the three points. It was a huge psychological win for a team that had grown accustomed to derby disappointments over the past two seasons.
The Black Eagles moved into first place on goal difference following the win and take on Sporting Lisbon next at home while Fenerbahçe travel to Scotland to face Celtic in the Europa League on Thursday.
BEŞİKTAŞ – FENERBAHÇE
Stadium: Atatürk Olimpiyat
Kick-Off: 17:00 GMT
Referee: Halis Özkahya
BEŞİKTAŞ: Tolga, Beck, Rhodolfo, Ersan, Tosic, Oğuzhan, Atiba, Gökhan, Sosa, Olcay, Gomez
MANAGER: Şenol Güneş
FENERBAHÇE: Volkan, Şener, Kjaer, Alves, Caner, Mehmet Topal, Meireles, Ozan, Markovic, Nani, Fernandao
MANAGER: Vitor Pereira
Goals: 20′ Kjaer (Own goal) ’24 Gomez, ’32 Tosic (Own goal), 65′ Van Persie, 74′ Gomez
