Hat-trick hero Abraham leads Besiktas rout

Former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham stole the show with a first-half hat-trick, leading Besiktas to a dominant 4-1 victory over St Patrick's Athletic in their UEFA Conference League third qualifying round first-leg clash in Dublin.

Match Highlights

The Turkish side started aggressively, with João Mário opening the scoring just eight minutes into the game. The Portuguese midfielder's shot from outside the box took a deflection, leaving St Pat's goalkeeper Joseph Anang helpless.

Abraham, the England international with 11 caps, then took center stage:

• 14th minute: Bundled home Jonas Svensson's cross from close range
• 23rd minute: Showed excellent composure to chip over Anang after being played through by Mário
• 43rd minute: Completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot

Second Half Fightback Falls Short

St Patrick's, under former Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny, showed resilience after the break:

• 48th minute: Simon Power scored a consolation by beating Mert Günok at his near post
• Tottenham-bound prospect Mason Melia forced a good save from Günok minutes later

Despite their improved second-half performance, the League of Ireland side face a daunting 4-1 deficit heading into next week's second leg in Istanbul.

What's Next?

The winner of this tie will face either Lausanne or Astana in the play-off round, with the Swiss club currently holding a 3-1 advantage from their first leg.

For St Patrick's, they'll need nothing short of a footballing miracle to overturn this result against a Besiktas side that showcased their attacking prowess in Dublin.