Beşiktaş head to Denmark on Thursday looking to protect their slender first-leg advantage and book a place in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round, while FC Midtjylland must overturn a 1-0 deficit to keep their European hopes alive.
The Black Eagles take confidence into the return leg at MCH Arena after Orkun Kökçü's superb first-half strike secured victory in Istanbul and handed new coach Vincenzo Italiano a winning start to his competitive tenure.
Midtjylland's task was made considerably more difficult after Friday Etim was sent off just 15 minutes into the opening leg.
Reduced to 10 men for most of the match, the Danish side relied heavily on goalkeeper Elias Olafsson, who produced several impressive saves to keep the tie within reach before finally being beaten by Kökçü's curling finish in the 26th minute.
Despite the setback, Midtjylland responded positively at the weekend by opening their Danish Superliga campaign with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Sonderjyske. The win eased concerns after the first-leg defeat and maintained the momentum they built during an impressive preseason, where they won four of five friendlies, including emphatic victories over Cardiff City and Odense.
