Besiktas Dominate St Patrick's with Abraham Hat-Trick in UEFA Tie

Besiktas secured a dominant 4-1 victory over St Patrick's Athletic in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League third qualifying round tie, with former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham scoring a sensational first-half hat-trick. Managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Besiktas took control early, with Joao Mario opening the scoring before Abraham's goals extended the lead to 4-0 by halftime. Despite a spirited second-half response from St Patrick's, including a goal by Simon Power, the Irish side face a difficult task overcoming the deficit in the second leg in Istanbul. St Patrick's manager Stephen Kenny had warned about the danger of a slow start, which proved costly as Besiktas dominated through quick attacks and clinical finishing. The winner of the tie will face either Lausanne or Astana in the play-off round of the competition. The match also featured Besiktas players wearing shirts highlighting the war in Gaza, adding a political message to the sporting event.