Besiktas 0 Tottenham 2:Dimitar Berbatov began repaying some of his £10.9 million transfer fee with a match-winning display as Tottenham made a magnificent start to their Uefa Cup group campaign.

Berbatov showed vision to set up the opening goal for Hossam Ghaly but saved the best for himself with a stunning 63rd-minute strike.

The Bulgarian marksman, a summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, rounded two Besiktas defenders on a marauding run and then beat goalkeeper Vedran Runje before finishing coolly.

It was a breathtaking goal which helped make a mockery of predictions Spurs would be lucky to leave Istanbul with a point.

Fears of the effect Besiktas' partisan home support would have on Martin Jol's side proved unfounded as although deafeningly noisy at times, the atmosphere at the Inonu Stadium was never hostile.

Spurs rose to the occasion magnificently, looking solid at the back and showing the greater fluency in attack — especially in the first half when Besiktas rarely threatened.

Indeed the Turks — managed by former Fulham boss Jean Tigana — only mustered two memorable efforts all night with Marcio blasting one of them over the crossbar.

Spurs, led by Ledley King who had recovered from his knee injury, were more inventive and displayed none of the finishing problems which have hampered their Barclays Premiership form.

This victory has seen them successfully negotiate arguably the toughest assignment of their group B campaign, in which they still have to face Berbatov's former club Bayer Leverkusen, Dinamo Bucharest and Club Bruge.