Bobo proves Beşiktaş hero again

Bobo scored with just two minutes remaining to keep Beşiktaş JK in the UEFA Champions League with victory against Olympique de Marseille.

Close group
The home side needed three points to remain in Group A contention following their competition record 8-0 defeat at Liverpool FC on Matchday 4. And although Tello's free-kick was cancelled out by Marseille substitute Taye Taiwo, the man that struck the clincher in the 2-1 win here against Liverpool, Bobo, did it again. The top four in the group are now split by just two points, with Beşiktaş on six, their Matchday 6 hosts FC Porto on eight and Marseille welcoming Liverpool with both teams on seven.

Changes rung
Unsurprisingly, Beşiktaş coach Ertuğrul Sağlam rang the changes from Anfield, with Turkey's most-capped player Rüştü Reçber making his first UEFA Champions League start for the club in goal and defender Baki Mercimek coming in for a tournament debut. But the atmosphere was more reminiscent of the home win against Liverpool, though Marseille coach Erik Gerets was well familiar with this having led Galatasaray AS for the last two seasons.

Substitutions
Beşiktaş came out strongly on a freezing Istanbul night, Tello shooting over in the second minute. Rüştü proved his worth soon after by saving an angled effort from Mamadou Niang. However, both teams were forced into early substitutions; Beşiktaş midfielder Koray Avcı replacing Edouard Cissé after the Frenchman suffered pain in his neck and Marseille striker Samir Nasri, also struggling with injury, withdrawing in favour of Djibril Cissé.

Tello strikes
But just five minutes later, Marseille fell behind. Beşiktaş won a free-kick just outside the box and Tello curled a beautiful strike past the helpless Steve Mandanda. Marseille responded well, Laurent Bonnet going close with a header after a corner and Ronald Zubar and Mathieu Valbuena threatening from distance. However, it was nearly 2-0 not long before the break as İbrahim Üzülme, Tello and Matías Delgado combined superbly to set up Serdar Özkan, whose effort forced Mandanda to save.

Taiwo equaliser
Having had the worse of an open half, Gerets decided to change things by bringing on Taiwo for Zubar at the interval and ten minutes later taking off Boudewijn Zenden and introducing André Ayew, the 17-year-old son of Abedi Pelé. Ayew was the first of the duo to impress, reinvigorating a Marseille attack in which Valbuena was now starring. Niang's shot flew just past the post as the hour mark approached, but it was Taiwo who levelled the scores as Beşiktaş cleared a corner only for the substitute to pick up the ball well outside the box and send it back at high velocity, Rüştü only able to divert the strike in with his palm.

Late drama
It seemed Beşiktaş were heading out of the competition, but both teams were going for victory, and it was the home side that got it as following a Delgado pass, Bobo advanced into the area and produced the game's third blistering goal. However, Beşiktaş must now win in Portugal, while Marseille will look for maximum points against Liverpool to make sure.