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| Thursday, 01 December 2011 23:40 |
Quaresma brilliance drives Besiktas to victoryMaccabi Tel Aviv 2-3 Besiktas In a physical and often combative match at Bloomfield Stadium, Carlos Carvalhal’s Besiktas came away with a vital three points to ensure that they remain in 2nd place in Group E of the Europa League.
In spite of their inconsistency this season, the Black Eagles now find themselves within touching distance of reaching the knockout rounds, a fairly significant accomplishment given the difficulty of their group. Portuguese trio Ricardo Quaresma, Manuel Fernandes and Hugo Almeida started for the Istanbul based club, while Simao missed out through injury. That Besiktas required victory to keep pace with Stoke City and Dynamo Kiev was not obvious from their level of play in the first half. In fact, Besiktas were quite poor, especially in the opening half hour, and should have found themselves behind were it not for the profligacy of their Israeli opponents. On numerous occasions, Besiktas were carved wide open, only to narrowly avert disaster at the last moment. Quaresma nearly gifted the hosts an opener when he unwisely chose to dribble his way out of a tight situation, only to lose possession at the top of the penalty area to Eliran Atar. Keeper Cenk Gonen did well to smother the incoming shot, but Atar really should have done better when well placed to score. Quaresma silences boosBesiktas slowly grew into the game and produced several half chances as the opening period wore on. It wouldn’t be until stoppage time that they created, and finished, their best first half opportunity. Fabian Ernst got loose down the left and his cross was met first time with a punishing volley from Ricardo Quaresma. It was an emphatic way to end the half for Besiktas and Quaresma, who was booed relentlessly by the home fans.Immediately after the second half whistle got things underway, Fernandes nearly duplicated Quaresma’s effort with a half volley of his own that keeper Barak Levy did well to push over the crossbar. Three minutes later, Besiktas had doubled their lead when Ibrahim Torraman turned in a Manuel Fernandes corner. Maccabi did not surrender, however, and pulled a goal back on the hour mark courtesy of an overhead kick from Shiran Yeyni. On the balance of play, the Israelis deserved their goal and set out to earn another immediately. They soon found it when substitute Moshe Lugasi scored with a fierce drive from 25 yards. Besiktas showed signs of withering completely and Maccabi pressed hard for a winner. Almeida thrice comes closeMaccabi’s persistence nearly allowed Besiktas to exploit them on the counter-attack, with Almeida nearly turning in Quaresma’s cross on 85 minutes. The Portuguese hitman was again wasteful three minutes from time when he nodded over Quaresma’s pinpoint cross from the right. Almeida thought he had scored the winner a minute later, but his goal was ruled out as he was adjudged to have fouled his marker.In the end it was Quaresma who came to the rescue for Besiktas. The Portuguese winger made a mockery of Maccabi’s attempts to contain him by rounding three defenders and rifling home past Barak Levy to send the visitors into rapture. Watch the Quaresma show by clicking on the screen below: The result sees Besiktas move to within two points of group E leaders Stoke City, who they will host at the Inonu Stadium in two weeks. Nathan Motz Follow PortuGOAL on Twitter and Facebook |
It reflects on the coaches tactics than on him. You have to know how to use him. Much like Portugal's awful tactics against Spain in the World Cup where we barely even saw Ronaldo.
Jesualdo Ferreira and Carlos Carvalhal know exactly how to use Quaresma.
He has some truely spetacular moments that leave you amazed. And then he just plain disapears.
For me, he's one of those players that looks great when all is going well. When a squad makes things difficult for him, he just disapears. He has a hard time with adversity. I just don't think that he has the mental fortitude to fight off adversity.
He always leaves you wanting more, and that's not always a good thing.
I've been a big fan of Fernandes for a while now. Hopefully he has mature some, so he doesn't leave the team so exposed when he drives forward.
I'm glad Bento is including him in the squad, he is simply too talented to be left out. For sure CR7 and Nani are our first choice wingers, but Quaresma is a great option to have on the bench, and bring on when opposing defences begin to tire...at his best he can be a handful for any defence!!!
Hopefuly he can get 1 more chance to prove himself yet again in a bigger club in a bigger league, because he has too much talent for it to be wasted!!