Junior Olaïtan produced a decisive performance for Beşiktaş as the Turkish club opened their 2026-27 Europa League league-phase campaign with a 4-1 victory over Olympique de Marseille.
The Beninese midfielder provided two assists in Istanbul on Thursday, 17 September, including the pass that allowed Dutch-Ghanaian forward Ernest Poku to complete the scoring late in the match.
Olaïtan started in midfield and remained on the pitch for 82 minutes before being replaced by Oh Hyeon-Gyu. His influence was evident from the opening stages, when he helped Beşiktaş establish an early advantage against their French opponents.
The midfielder was involved in the first goal, supplying the pass for İlhan Fakılı to finish and give the home side the lead.
Marseille were able to respond during the first half, but Beşiktaş regained control after the break and eventually secured a comprehensive victory.
Olaïtan’s second decisive contribution came in the closing stages. In the 81st minute, he recovered possession in midfield before carrying the ball forward and releasing Poku.
The forward finished with his right foot to put Beşiktaş 4-1 ahead, completing a strong night for the Istanbul side and giving Olaïtan his second assist of the game.
The performance was reflected in the match statistics. Olaïtan completed 36 of his 44 passes and produced three key passes. He also competed in 14 duels and won three fouls during his 82 minutes on the pitch.
Sofascore awarded the Beninese midfielder a rating of 8.5 out of 10 for his display.
The match was not Olaïtan’s first involvement in European competition with Beşiktaş. He had already played for the Turkish club during the Europa League qualifying rounds before the league phase began.
UEFA had recorded six appearances and two assists for the midfielder in the competition before the meeting with Marseille.
Thursday’s match was nevertheless a new stage in his European campaign because it marked Olaïtan’s first appearance in the league phase of the 2026-27 edition of the Europa League.
He immediately made an impact, contributing directly to half of Beşiktaş’s four goals against Marseille.
His first assist helped Beşiktaş take the lead, while his late pass created the opportunity for Poku to score the fourth and final goal.
The result gave Beşiktaş an emphatic start to their league-phase campaign, with Olaïtan playing a central role in a performance that produced four goals against Marseille.
For the Beninese midfielder, the night continued a run of involvement in European football with Beşiktaş. Having already featured during the qualifying rounds, he now has his first league-phase appearance of the new Europa League season.
His two assists also added to his previous European contribution and demonstrated his influence in both the early and late stages of the match.
Olaïtan’s opening assist came as Beşiktaş established their advantage, while his second arrived after he won possession in midfield and advanced before finding Poku.
The Dutch-Ghanaian striker then supplied the finish that completed the 4-1 scoreline.
By the time Olaïtan left the field in the 82nd minute, Beşiktaş had secured a commanding advantage and the midfielder had played a direct part in two of their four goals.
The victory over Marseille therefore provided Beşiktaş with a strong opening to their Europa League league-phase campaign, while Olaïtan emerged as one of the key contributors with two assists in his first league-phase appearance of the season.
