Galatasaray's Yunus Akgun celebrates after scoring their side's fourth goal during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Galatasaray and Elfsborg at Ali Sami Yen stadium, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. Galatasaray won 4-3. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Galatasaray and Bodø/Glimt victorious in the Europa League
ISTANBUL (AP) — Galatasaray scored three first-half goals en route to a 4-3 victory over Swedish club Elfsborg while Norway’s Bodø/Glimt netted a late winner to beat 10-man Braga 2-1 in the Europa League on Wednesday.
Mauro Icardi opened the scoring for the Turkish league leader in the 28th minute before Abdülkerim Bardakcı’s header 11 minutes later hit Elfsborg goalkeeper Isak Pettersson and deflected into the net.
Barış Alper Yılmaz made it 3-0 a minute before halftime.
The visitors scored early in the second half through Niklas Hult on a counter before Michael Baidoo made it 3-2 from the spot.
But Yunus Akgün stretched the advantage to two on a fine solo effort in the 83rd. Johan Larsson scored in stoppage-time for Elfsborg.
Galatasaray’s Yunus Akgun, bottom, celebrates with teammates after scoring their side’s fourth goal during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Galatasaray and Elfsborg at Ali Sami Yen stadium, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. Galatasaray won 4-3. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
In the second-tier competition’s only other game Wednesday, Bodø/Glimt needed substitute Villads Nielsen’s stoppage-time goal to get past Braga in Portugal.
Sikou Niakaté netted for the home team in the 64th to erase the visitors’ 1-0 lead three minutes before he was sent off after receiving his second yellow card.
Galatasaray and Bodø/Glimt are both on seven points to provisionally lead the table in the revamped competition.
Sixteen games are scheduled for Thursday. They include a matchup between Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce and Manchester United, the English Premier League club he steered to the 2017 Europa League title.
Galatasaray’s Lucas Torreira, center, vies for the ball with Elfsborg’s Besfort Zeneli during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Galatasaray and Elfsborg at Ali Sami Yen stadium, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)Elfsborg’s Simon Hedlund, background right, attempts a shot at goal against Galatasaray’s Yunus Akgun, center, during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Galatasaray and Elfsborg at Ali Sami Yen stadium, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)Galatasaray’s Baris Yilmaz, right, fights for the ball with Elfsborg’s Arber Zeneli during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Galatasaray and Elfsborg at Ali Sami Yen stadium, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)Glimt’s Villads Nielsen, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side’s second goal during the Europa League soccer match between SC Braga and Bodo Glimt at the Municipal stadium in Braga, Portugal, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)Glimt’s goalkeeper Nikita Haikin makes a save during the Europa League soccer match between SC Braga and Bodo Glimt at the Municipal stadium in Braga, Portugal, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)Glimt’s Villads Nielsen celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the Europa League soccer match between SC Braga and Bodo Glimt at the Municipal stadium in Braga, Portugal, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)Braga’s Victor Gomez challenges for the ball with Glimt’s Isak Dybvik Maatta during the Europa League soccer match between SC Braga and Bodo Glimt at the Municipal stadium in Braga, Portugal, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)Glimt’s goalkeeper Nikita Haikin makes a save during the Europa League soccer match between SC Braga and Bodo Glimt at the Municipal stadium in Braga, Portugal, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)
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