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Besiktas 1 Porto 1: Talisca leveller sends hosts through

Besiktas qualified for the knockout rounds of the Champions League for the first time in the club's history thanks to an entertaining 1-1 draw at home to Porto on Tuesday.

The Turkish champions knew any positive result would confirm their historic progression - and top spot in Group G - but they had to come from behind at a typically raucous Vodafone Park.

Besiktas almost opened the scoring after six minutes when an inviting cross from Ricardo Quaresma on the right was marginally too high for Tosun and Talisca.

Babel - who wrapped up Besiktas' 3-1 win at Porto earlier in the group - then forced Jose Sa into an unconvincing save with a swerving effort from long range.

But despite the hosts' strong start in an intimidating Istanbul atmosphere, the crowd was silenced after 29 minutes.

A quick free-kick was fed to Ricardo Pereira, the winger's low cross thumped home by Felipe's first-time strike that gave goalkeeper Fabri no chance.

Quaresma burst in behind the Porto defence to force a smart stop from Sa as Besiktas responded well, but the visitors should have doubled their lead when Vincent Aboubakar blasted Ricardo Pereira's cross over the crossbar.

And that miss was swiftly punished as Besiktas levelled five minutes before the break.

Babel's flick freed Tosun, the striker finding space with an impudent touch over Maxi Pereira's head and showing great awareness to square for Talisca to roll the ball into the open goal.

Besiktas maintained their dominance after the interval and Babel was inches away from scoring a sensational goal after 57 minutes, cutting inside and thudding a 25-yard drive against the crossbar.

Sa then turned away a powerful Quaresma drive and Porto spurned a glorious chance moments later, former Besiktas striker Aboubakar bursting into the box to set up Ricardo Pereira, who refused to shoot with his left foot and instead bent a poor effort wide with the outside of his right boot.

Both teams appeared to settle for a draw in the closing stages, leaving Besiktas to celebrate a historic night, while Porto face a nervy matchday six clash with Ligue 1 champions Monaco.