Decisive figure steers Beşiktaş with set-piece craft and control | OneFootball

Kristjan Asllani shaped the night in the seventh minute with a pinpoint set-piece cross and later converted a penalty as Beşiktaş won 2-0 at Gaziantep. The midfielder's composure on the ball underpinned the visitors' control.

His dead-ball delivery created the opener (7.), a whipped cross after a corner that Tiago Djaló guided into the top left. It settled the Kara Kartal early and set the rhythm for the rest of the game.

When Jota Silva was fouled in the box, Asllani took responsibility and sent Zafer Görgen the wrong way from the spot (22.). The second goal eased any jeopardy and allowed him to dictate tempo.

Asllani finished with 75 of 77 passes completed, four interceptions and nine recoveries, plus one accurate cross from two attempts. That blend of security and bite explained why the Kara Kartal exercised 64.5% possession and kept Gaziantep at arm's length.

With his set-piece quality and metronome passing, Asllani repeatedly put Gaziantep under pressure and ensured Beşiktaş controlled the key phases.

Next up, the Kara Kartal host Konyaspor in the Türkiye Kupasi. Gaziantep visit Göztepe next.