Ole Gunnar Solskjaer WINS first game after returning to football with Besiktas – over three years after Man United sacking

  • The former Man United manager has won his first match as Besiktas boss
  • Ole Gunnar Solskjaer guided Besiktas to a dominant 4-1 Europa League victory
  • LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Ruben Amorim looks desperate… it’s a last resort to publicly out your players

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got his Besiktas reign off to a dominant winning start as the former Manchester United manager guided his side to a 4-1 Europa League victory over Athletic Bilbao.

The 51-year-old was named Besiktas boss last Friday just over three years on from his brutal sacking at Old Trafford and has got off to the perfect start.

Solskjaer’s first order of business was readying his team for the visit of LaLiga outfit Bilbao with Besiktas desperately needing a victory to have any hope of qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition.

Besiktas had previously only won two of their opening six European fixtures this season and lost four prior to Solskjaer’s arrival in Turkey.

However, new life appears to have been breathed into the Turkish giants by Solskjaer as Milot Rashica put them ahead in the 17th minute.

Unai Gomez threatened to spoil the party at the Tupras Stadyumu when the Bilbao midfielder equalised on the stroke of half-time only for the hosts to hit back with two more goals.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer celebrated a 4-1 Europa League victory in his first Besiktas match in charge

Besiktas dominated the Europa League encounter as Solskjaer got his reign off to a winning start

Besiktas dominated the Europa League encounter as Solskjaer got his reign off to a winning start

Solskjaer celebrates with Milot Rashica (left) after the Besiktas star scored twice in the win

Solskjaer celebrates with Milot Rashica (left) after the Besiktas star scored twice in the win

Rashica restored Besiktas’ lead with his second goal just 30 minutes from full-time before added a third late to diminish any hope of the Spanish side producing a comeback.

Portuguese midfielder Joao Mario scored a fourth in stoppage time after converting coolly from the penalty spot.

Solskjaer was animated in the dugout throughout the encounter, but was ultimately left beaming as his side showed their attacking prowess against Bilbao. 

Solskjaer, who previously managed Molde in his homeland across two spells and Cardiff City, had been linked with several jobs over recent months, with the former striker tipped to take over at both Leicester and West Ham before joining Besiktas.

He was even spotted at Molineux for Gary O’Neil’s final Wolves game in charge against Ipswich in December, although it was later revealed that he was there to support his former United assistant Kieran McKenna, the Tractor Boys’ manager.

The move to Turkey also comes after Solskjaer was briefly touted for a shock return to Old Trafford before Ruben Amorim took over in November.

His spell in charge of United, which initially started as an interim role, came after Solskjaer enjoyed 11 successful seasons as a player between 1996 and 2007.

Solskjaer's first order of business was readying his team for the visit of LaLiga outfit Bilbao

Solskjaer’s first order of business was readying his team for the visit of LaLiga outfit Bilbao

Solskjaer was animated in the dugout throughout the encounter, but was ultimately left beaming

Solskjaer was animated in the dugout throughout the encounter, but was ultimately left beaming

He scored 126 goals for the Red Devils and won 12 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League during the famous 1998-99 Treble season.

Following retirement in 2007 due to injury, Solskjaer took charge of United’s reserve team, before he impressed as manager of Molde in his homeland between 2010 and 2014, winning two domestic titles.

Solskjaer’s success ensured he got the Cardiff City job, but the 51-year-old endured a difficult nine-month spell in south Wales where he was unable to prevent the Bluebirds from being relegated from the Premier League.

He returned to Molde in 2015 and spent more than three years in the role before United came calling in December 2018. 

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