Group C Wrap: Tottenham & Besiktas run riot in Europa League

Beşiktaş beat Partizan 4-0 at the Partizana in Belgrade to move into first place in UEFA Europa League Group C.

Slaven Bilic set his Beşiktaş side up with an attacking 4-1-4-1 formation. The only notable change being Necip Uysal who replaced the injured Serdar Kurtuluş at right-back.

The Black Eagles got off to a great start, Veli Kavlak put the away side ahead on 18 minutes, his long range effort caught everyone by surprise.

Töre almost doubled the away sides lead when he hit the post shortly after. Beşiktaş dominated much of the half and just before half time Olcay Şahan setup Demba Ba who scored his seventh goal this season.

Beşiktaş started the second half on the front foot, Töre setup Oğuzhan Özyakup to make it 3-0 on 52 minutes and goalscorer Ba became provider as he setup Töre just two minutes later.

The former Chelsea youth now has two goals and three assists this season. Töre completed more successful dribbles (2) than any other Beşiktaş player and linked up well with Uysal on the right flank.

The Eagles attacking play was superb for much of the night but credit must be given to the sides defensive qualities. Beşiktaş held possession well, holding midfielders Kavlak and Atiba Hutchinson completed over 80 passes each with a 90 percent accuracy rate and both made three tackles each.

Beşiktaş closed down the opposition well forcing interceptions and completed 632 passes compared to their opponents 341.

The Black Eagles won their first Group C game while Partizan suffered their heaviest ever European home defeat.

Partizan: Lukaç, Volkov, Stankoviç, Çirkoviç, İliç, Stevanoviç, Jivkoviç (67 Grbiç), Drinçiç (61 Markoviç), Pantiç, Lazoviç (61 Ninkoviç), Şkuletiç
Beşiktaş: Tolga Zengin, Sivok, Franco, Motta, Gökhan Töre (64′ Kerim Frei Koyunlu), Veli Kavlak, Hutchinson, Oğuzhan Özyakup (78′ İsmail Köybaşı), Necip Uysal, Demba Ba (69′ Cenk Tosun), Olcay Şahan

Goals: 18′ Veli Kavlak, 45′ Demba Ba, 52′ Oğuzhan Özyakup, 54′ Gökhan Töre (Beşiktaş)

In the other Group C game Tottenham made light work of Asteras, beating the Greek side 5-1.

Harry Kane and Erik Lamela were both superb, with the former netting a hat trick and the latter scoring twice.

Tottenham did however, lose goalkeeper Hugo Lloris who was shown a straight red card for denying Anastasios Tsokanis a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Kane replaced him in goal and conceded from the ensuing free-kick.

The win took Tottenham into second place on goal difference, Asteras moved down into third place on four points.

Tottenham: Lloris (c), Dier, Fazio, Vertonghen, Davies; Capoue, Dembele; Kane, Lamela, Townsend; Adebayor

Asteras: Kosicky; Lluy, Sankare, Zisopoulos, Panteliadis; Munafo; Mazza, Usero, Rolle, Tsokanis; Parra

Goals: 13′, 75′ Kane, 29′, 66′, 82′ Lamala, 86′ Barrales