Besiktas draw 2-2 with Crystal Palace in Europa League; Oh Hyeon-gyu plays 75 minutes
In short
Besiktas of Turkey drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace of England in the third round of the UEFA Europa League league phase in Istanbul, with a late red card for Besiktas. South Korea forward Oh Hyeon-gyu (오현규) started, played 75 minutes and had one shot, with no goal or assist.
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Besiktas of Turkey drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace of England in the third round of the 2026-27 UEFA Europa League league phase on 23 October (Korean time) at Tüpraş Stadium in Istanbul. South Korea forward Oh Hyeon-gyu started and played 75 minutes with one shot, with no goal or assist, Yonhap reported. Yonhap said he led the attack as the lone striker in a 4-1-4-1 formation. [ 1 , 3 ]
Yonhap said a Palace goal in the 6th minute was cancelled by VAR. In the 18th minute Oh headed a corner chance off target, his only shot of the match. Yonhap said it went wide of the post, while Dong-A Ilbo said it went over the crossbar. Wilfred Ndidi put Besiktas ahead before half-time, in stoppage time according to Yonhap and in the 47th minute according to Dong-A Ilbo, which said he controlled a long ball and shot with his left foot. [ 1 , 3 ]
Dong-A Ilbo said Palace equalised in the 6th minute of the second half through a Jeremy Pino shot after a cutback from Anan Kalaili (아난 칼라일리), and went ahead four minutes later through a Jean-Philippe Mateta shot. Junior Olaitan levelled for Besiktas in the 28th minute. Oh was replaced by Dusan Vlahovic in the 30th minute. Defender Umit Akda (우밋 아크다) was then sent off, in the 32nd minute according to Yonhap and the 33rd according to Dong-A Ilbo, for a dangerous tackle according to Yonhap and one aimed at an opponent's ankle according to Dong-A Ilbo. No more goals followed. [ 1 , 3 ]
Yonhap said the result left Besiktas on two wins and one draw (7 points) in eighth place, with Palace on one win, one draw and one loss (4 points) in 15th. Dong-A Ilbo said Besiktas, coached by Vincenzo Italiano, had beaten Marseille 4-1 and Hoffenheim 3-2 and had been seeking a third straight win. Yonhap said Sofascore gave Oh 5.9, the lowest rating of both teams, while Dong-A Ilbo said FotMob gave him 6.3. A Newsis photo caption said Oh scored two goals and made one assist in the win over Hoffenheim on 15 October (local time). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
In another Europa League match, Celtic of Scotland lost 1-2 to Celta Vigo of Spain. Yonhap said Yang Hyun-jun (양현준) missed a fourth straight game since returning to his club with a hamstring injury after winning gold at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Mika Bauer (미카 바우어) scored for Celtic in the 2nd minute of the second half, and Celta defender Javi Rodriguez (하비 로드리게스) then scored twice in three minutes from the 23rd minute, Yonhap said. Dong-A Ilbo said it was Celtic's third straight Europa League defeat. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The Korean outlets framed the match around Oh Hyeon-gyu, who scored twice in the previous round, and around Yang Hyun-jun (양현준), who missed Celtic's loss. The documents give no wider consequences beyond the league-phase standings.
Key facts
- Besiktas and Crystal Palace drew 2-2 on 23 October (Korean time) at Tüpraş Stadium in Istanbul, in the third round of the 2026-27 Europa League league phase. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Oh Hyeon-gyu started and played 75 minutes, taking one shot and recording no goal or assist. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Besiktas defender Umit Akda (우밋 아크다) was sent off for a tackle after Oh was substituted. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Besiktas scorers were Wilfred Ndidi and Junior Olaitan (주니어 올라이탄); Palace scored through Jeremy Pino and Jean-Philippe Mateta, according to Dong-A Ilbo. [ 3 ]
- Yonhap said Besiktas moved to eighth with two wins and one draw (7 points), and Crystal Palace stood 15th with 4 points. [ 1 ]
- Celtic lost 1-2 to Celta Vigo in another Europa League match, with Yang Hyun-jun absent. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Besiktas drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace on 23 October (Korean time) at Tüpraş Stadium in Istanbul. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Oh Hyeon-gyu started and played 75 minutes with one shot and no goal or assist. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Oh's header from a corner in the 18th minute missed the target. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Besiktas had a player sent off in the second half after Oh was substituted. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Celtic, without Yang Hyun-jun, lost 1-2 to Celta Vigo. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Oh had scored two goals and made one assist in Besiktas's 3-2 win over Hoffenheim in the previous round. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Minute of the red card for Umit Akda. Yonhap gives the 32nd minute of the second half; Dong-A Ilbo gives the 33rd.
- Oh Hyeon-gyu's match rating. Yonhap said Sofascore gave him 5.9, the lowest of both teams; Dong-A Ilbo said FotMob gave him 6.3.
- How Oh's 18th-minute header missed. Yonhap said it went off the post's side (wide of the goal); Dong-A Ilbo said it went over the crossbar.
- Timing of Besiktas's opening goal by Ndidi. Yonhap places it in first-half stoppage time; Dong-A Ilbo gives the 47th minute.
- A Crystal Palace goal cancelled by VAR in the 6th minute. Only Yonhap reports it.