A six-goal thriller Wednesday in Belgium helped Başakşehir take advantage against Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.
The Turkish club started slowly against its experienced opponent, conceding two goals in the first 16 minutes of the match at Jan Breydel Stadium.
In the hole on goals by Emmanuel Bonaventure and Stefano Denswil, Başakşehir recovered in the second half and equalized in a three minute-span, thanks to goals from Marico Mossoro and new transfer Eljero Elia.
Başakşehir then went ahead in the 74th minute on another score by Mossoro.
Brugge, however, did not give up at its home turf and leveled the score 5 minutes later on a low free-kick by Denswil that beat goalkeeper Volkan Babacan.
The second leg of the ualifying round will be played Aug. 2 in Istanbul.
Başakşehir, which sold wonder kid Cengiz Under to Italian giant, Roma, for a fee of €13,40 million ($15.7 million), filled its squad with talent ahead of its Champions League tie.
In summer signings, the club added Eljero Elia from Feyenoord, Aurelien Chedjou from Galatasaray, Mevlüt Erdinç from Hannover, Gael Clichy from Manchester City, Tunay Torun from Kasimpasa, and Gökhan İnler from Besiktas.
Elia cost the club €1.1 million ($1.3 million); the remaining players were signed on free transfers.
