Beşiktaş opened their 2026-27 season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over FC Midtjylland on Thursday, as Orkun Kökçü's first-half strike gave the Turkish side a slender advantage in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League second qualifying round tie.
Playing in front of their home supporters at Tüpraş Stadium, the Black Eagles produced a disciplined performance to shut out the Danish visitors and carry a one-goal cushion into next week's decisive return leg in Denmark.
Kökçü proved the difference in the 26th minute, finishing off one of Beşiktaş's best attacking moves to score the club's first competitive goal of the new campaign.
His strike rewarded a confident opening spell in which Beşiktaş controlled possession and dictated the tempo against a Midtjylland side known for its physical, organized approach in European competition.
While the visitors threatened sporadically on the counterattack, Beşiktaş's defense remained composed throughout the match, preserving a valuable clean sheet that could prove crucial over the two-legged series.
