Kokçu stunner in Europa qualifiers has Benfica fans dreaming (Video) | OneFootball

Orkun Kokçu opened his scoring account for Besiktas and proved decisive in the Turks’ 1-0 win over Midtjylland in the first leg of the second Europa League qualifying round, the same stage in which Benfica lost to St. Gallen. The former Benfica midfielder scored the only goal of the match with a strike of great quality.

The Turkey international found the net in the 26th minute, when he received the ball on the edge of the box and fired a precise shot, leaving Elías Ólafsson with no chance and giving Besiktas the advantage in the tie. The Istanbul side played with a numerical advantage for most of the match after Friday Etim was sent off with a straight red card in the 15th minute.

It should be remembered that Orkun Kökçü left Benfica in this summer transfer window to join Besiktas on a one-season loan. The deal includes a mandatory purchase clause worth €25 million, with the total amount of the operation potentially rising to €30 million if previously established targets are met.

Before the transfer was made official, the midfielder explained the reasons that led him to leave the Luz, admitting that he went through a difficult period on a personal level: "I had a very good spell at Benfica, it was a good period from a footballing point of view, but mentally I had some difficulties. I couldn’t find my rhythm and I wanted to be transferred," confessed the Turkey international.

"For me, the most important thing in life is to be happy. I lived in Portugal for two years, but it was the first time I had been alone outside my country. Away from football, it was a very lonely period," added the Turkey international, who returned to his homeland after representing Benfica at the 2025 Club World Cup.

Watch Kökçü’s goal for Besiktas in the Europa League:

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.