Galatasaray managed to limit the damage on Wednesday evening in the first leg against Young Boys in the Champions League play-offs. The Swiss team took a 2-0 lead in the first half, but after Hakim Ziyech's return to the field, Galatasaray got back into the game. An unfortunate penalty incident means the Turkish side will have something to make up for next week.
Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk made a strategic decision in the first half by not calling on Hakim Ziyech, opting instead to start with the experienced Dries Mertens.
However, the Turkish side found themselves in trouble early on, as Joël Monteiro of Young Boys delivered a standout performance, scoring two goals in the first 45 minutes. These early strikes put Galatasaray on the back foot, creating a daunting challenge for them as they sought to turn the game around.
After the break, Buruk introduced Ziyech in an attempt to inject creativity and energy into Galatasaray's attack. Ziyech quickly found himself in a promising position and could have made an immediate impact by scoring the connecting goal. However, his shot, following a low cross from the left, went straight into the hands of the Young Boys goalkeeper, missing a crucial opportunity to shift the momentum.
Twenty minutes after Ziyech's introduction, Michy Batshuayi was also brought on, and the Belgian striker wasted no time making his presence felt. He capitalized on a well-delivered corner from Ziyech, scoring with his first touch at the far post. This goal provided a much-needed lifeline for Galatasaray. Just five minutes later, Batshuayi struck again, bringing the score to 2-2 and offering hope that the Turkish side could salvage a result from what had been a difficult match.
However, Galatasaray's resurgence was short-lived. In the closing moments, defender Abdülkerim Bardakci found himself at the center of a controversial incident. While attempting to block a shot, the ball deflected off his own leg and struck his hand. This accidental handball resulted in Bardakci receiving a second yellow card and being sent off. To make matters worse, Filip Ugrinic stepped up to take the penalty and converted it, putting Young Boys back in the lead. This late setback means that Galatasaray will need to mount a significant effort in the return leg at home if they are to secure qualification for the Champions League.
Meanwhile, in Denmark, everything remains open between FC Midtjylland and Slovan Bratislava. For Slovan, qualifying for the Champions League would represent a significant achievement after years of disappointment in the preliminary rounds. The Slovak side took the lead a quarter of an hour into the second half, thanks to a goal from César Blackman. However, their advantage was short-lived, as Edward Chilufya equalized for FC Midtjylland ten minutes before the final whistle. The Zambian forward managed to escape the attention of Slovan's defense, including Guram Kashia, who played the entire match, to bring the score level. The draw leaves the tie finely balanced heading into the second leg.
In another crucial play-off match, Sparta Prague made a significant step towards reaching the main phase of the Champions League with a strong performance against Malmö FF. The Czech side's goalkeeper, Peter Vindahl Jensen, formerly of AZ, played a key role in their success by keeping a clean sheet during their visit to Sweden. Despite a challenging encounter, Sparta Prague took the lead when Jens Stryger Larsen inadvertently scored an own goal, giving the visitors a 1-0 advantage. In the closing stages of the match, Matej Rynes secured a more comfortable margin for Sparta Prague by adding a second goal, ensuring they have a solid lead to protect in the return leg. With this result, Sparta Prague has positioned themselves well to advance to the group stage of the Champions League.
