Beşiktaş recover to end Vienna hoodoo

Beşiktaş JK came from behind against SK Rapid Wien to make it two wins in two UEFA Europa League Group L games.

The Turkish side had not beaten Rapid in three previous trips to the Austrian capital but redressed that statistic in front of a sell-out crowd at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion. Following a goalless first half the game burst to life when Veli Kavlak curled in an opener, but two strikes in ten minutes from Filip Hološko and Bobô were enough to break the Vienna hoodoo.

The initial signs had suggested more disappointment. The game was barely half an hour in when the dangerous Ricardo Quaresma, who had earlier rattled the upright, was forced off after colliding with goalkeeper Raimund Hedl. Roberto Hilbert also came off second best against Hedl, who kept out his vicious swerving volley from distance.

Rapid had offered little, but Yasin Pehlivan started the second period with much-needed vigour. Not long after sending Atdhe Nuhiu through on goal he delivered a deft, defence-splitting pass to Kavlak who, showing great composure as he cut inside onto his right foot, curled a shot in off the post.

The stadium erupted, but Beşiktaş were soon level when Hedl spilled a long pass from Fabian Ernst. Quaresma's replacement, Hološko, was on hand to tuck the ball home from a tight angle. The Slovakia forward rattled the crossbar soon after and also forced Hedl into another save – but the home side's luck did not last long.

Rodrigo Tabata conjured the winner, putting Bobô clean through and the Brazilian guided a slide-rule finish past the exposed Hedl, low into the left corner. Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink came closest as Rapid tried to salvage a point, his powerful close-range header somehow clawed away by Hakan Arıkan. Yet the effort was in vain.