MX23RW : Monday, December 23 12:51:32| >> :600:275080:275080:
[monks data]
Attendance: 22,670
Besiktas
Europa League | Group Stage
Oct 3, 2019 at 5.55pm UK
 
Wolves logo

0-1

FT(HT: 0-0)
Boly (93')

Nuno Espirito Santo not entirely satisfied with Wolves win over Besiktas

Willy Boly grabbed a stoppage-time goal in Istanbul.

Wolves won in Europe for the first time in 39 years but boss Nuno Espirito Santo was not pleased with the performance against Besiktas.

The game at Vodafone Park looked to be heading for a goalless draw until Willy Boly wrote his name into club folklore with a stoppage-time goal in Istanbul.

The big defender was on hand to score with a finish befitting of a striker rather than a centre half. Ruben Neves floated a ball over the top of the home defence and Boly took a touch before turning and firing the ball past Loris Karius, who smacked the pitch in frustration afterwards.

The goal ensured Wolves were off the mark in this season's Europa League, having been beaten at home by Braga last month, and gave the club its first win in European football for almost exactly 39 years.

Wanderers' last success came in the UEFA Cup on October 1 1980, when a Mel Eves goal gave them a 1-0 win against PSV Eindhoven at Molineux.

Nuno admitted the result had been celebrated briefly, but he was not happy and said: "It was good and in the end we are happy. We had two minutes of celebration only.

"The goal gives us a victory in a tough, tough stadium but we needed more moments of talent.

"We gave too many chances to Besiktas and sometimes today we didn't attack as a unit, it was more individually. So we have to improve.

"We have a lot of things to improve. We won but we must be better, better in how we play and grow. Why did some players not play so well? We must find the why.

"We made substitutions to try and find solutions, because we were not good. We had to find solutions from the bench and change the dynamic of the game."

Boly's goal was reward for a much-improved second-half performance from Wolves having ridden their luck at times during the Group K clash, especially in the first 45 minutes when Besiktas hit the woodwork.

Boly leads the applause at the end of the game
Boly leads the applause at the end of the game (AP)

With Braga and Slovan Bratislava drawing 2-2 in Portugal, it puts Nuno's side right in contention just a point behind the other teams in the group.

However, the Wolves boss was only thinking about the Premier League and Sunday's trip to the Etihad Stadium to face champions Manchester City.

"The next game is Sunday, not until next time do we think about the group stage," he said. "We are already recovering because on Sunday we play. It is a long, long season – Thursday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday."

Besiktas are bottom of Group K with no points from their opening two matches and have won only once in all competitions so far this season, increasing the pressure on manager Abdullah Avci.

Besiktas players look dejected
Besiktas players look dejected (AP)

Avci was in charge at Istanbul rivals Basaksehir for five seasons before his appointment at Vodafone Park in the summer, during which time the club has become one of the top teams in the Turkish Super Lig.

Asked about his job, he replied: "I believe that we will turn this situation around and I believe our fans will keep pushing us, because we need their support.

"We are working on things. We tried hard from the beginning until 90 minutes and my players gave everything, they left everything on the pitch.

"We also missed some of our players through sickness and injury."

ID:373854: cacheID:373854:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:8216:
Written by
P A
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Besiktas boss Abdullah Avci pictured in August 2018
Read Next:
Besiktas boss Abdullah Avci looking for "opportunity" to kickstart season against Wolves
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1Lazio651016
2Athletic Bilbao651016
3Anderlecht642014
4Lyon641113
5Frankfurt641113
6Galatasaray633012
7Man Utd633012
8Rangers632111
9Spurs632111
10FCSB632111
11Real Sociedad631210
12Ajax631210
13Bodo/Glimt631210
14Roma62319
15Olympiacos62319
16Ferencvaros63039
17Plzen62319
18AZ62228
19Fenerbahce62228
20Porto62228
21Union SG62228
22Braga62137
23Elfsborg62137
24PAOK62137
25Midtjylland62137
26M. Tel Aviv62046
27Hoffenheim61326
28Besiktas62046
29Slavia Prague61144
30FC Twente60424
31Malmo61144
32Ludogorets60333
33Qarabag61053
34RFS60242
35Nice60242
36Dynamo Kiev60060


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!