Braga's hopes of emulating last season's run to the final of the Europa League are close to being extinguished following a 2-0 home defeat to Besiktas in the first leg of their last 32 tie.

The Portuguese club suffered following Helder Barbosa's dismissal in the first half, the second of his bookings resulting from a dive, and were undone by goals from Tomas Sivok and former Portugal international Simao at Estadio Municipal.

The result ensures Besiktas are well placed to face either Lazio or Atletico Madrid in the last 16, though Portuguese coach Carlos Carvalhal has advanced his own side's prospects against the team he supported as a child, represented as a player, briefly coached and can still see from the window of his house in Braga.

Carvalhal's former employers approached the game in confident fashion having won nine in a row in all competitions and were the better side in the early stages in Portugal as two set-pieces from Hugo Viana caused problems.

One free kick from the former Newcastle midfielder was cleared to Barbosa, who drove a deflected shot wide from the edge of the box, while a corner was dealt with poorly by the visitors as Alan proved unable to hit the target.

Besiktas, who ended a run of four consecutive defeats when drawing with Sivasspor at the weekend, looked to Portugal international Ricardo Quaresma for inspiration and after cutting in from the left the former Chelsea and Barcelona man hammered a firm dipping shot just over the bar.

Just minutes later Quaresma slalomed past a couple of markers before firing wide from inside the box as he continued to cause the home side problems.

Braga threatened when Viana bent a fine free kick just over the bar from 25 yards but then suffered a telling blow on 29 minutes. Barbosa, who had already been booked for a poor challenge on Veli Kavlak, threw himself to ground under minimal contact on the edge of the box to earn a second yellow card.

Besiktas exploited their numerical advantage just eight minutes later. Sivok was left entirely unmarked from a Manuel Fernandes and although goalkeeper Quim got a palm to his firm header he was unable to prevent it from hitting the net.

Braga coach Leonardo Jardim introduced an extra striker in Carlao at half time and the home side could have equalised within three minutes of the restart. Viana delivered a teasing corner and Custodio only just failed to meet the ball with his head. Replays showed his claims for a penalty were justified as Ibrahim Toraman had a firm hold of his shirt.

It was from another Viana corner, after 58 minutes, that Braga found themselves two down. Besiktas raced downfield on the break and Fernandes slipped a pass through to Simao, who on his return to his home country poked the ball to the side of Quim and inside the post.

Braga threw on forwards in an attempt to snatch a goal but Besiktas could have extended their lead and both Fernandes and Veli Kavlak forced Quim into diving saves before the end of the tie.

Tom Adams - @tomEurosport / Eurosport