Fenerbahce came from behind twice to beat Liverpool 3-2 at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, with Archie Brown and Vedat Muriqi scoring within six minutes to complete a remarkable Champions League comeback.
Liverpool took the lead through Trey Nyoni, who became the youngest player in the club’s history to score his first goal for the Reds in a European Cup or Champions League match, aged 19 years and 127 days. The goal came after Liverpool had registered four shots in the opening five minutes, their first such start in the competition since March 2009 against Real Madrid.
Fenerbahce were fortunate not to concede a penalty when Kostas Tsimikas used both hands on Mason Greenwood inside the Liverpool area. At the other end, Irfan Can Kahveci struck Archie Brown’s cross against the crossbar from close range before the hosts levelled in the 29th minute.
Greenwood’s free-kick took a substantial deflection off Jeremy Jacquet in the Liverpool wall, wrong-footing Alisson and making it 1-1.
Liverpool regained the advantage in the 69th minute after Cody Gakpo crossed for substitute Alexander Isak, who headed home less than three minutes after coming on to score his first European goal for the club.
Fenerbahce responded four minutes later. A cleverly worked corner caused confusion in the Liverpool defence, and Gakpo could only flick the ball on for Brown to score at the far post.
Six minutes after that, the Turkish side completed the turnaround. Three Liverpool players failed to deal with a looping cross, while Alisson remained on his line, allowing substitute Muriqi to send a superb header into the bottom-left corner.
Muriqi’s 79th-minute goal was his first in the Champions League in his ninth appearance in the competition. Ederson subsequently denied Virgil van Dijk, while Gakpo tested the Fenerbahce goalkeeper from distance, but Liverpool were unable to force an equaliser.
The result ended Fenerbahce’s wait for a victory in the competition. Their last appearance in the Champions League proper had come in 2008-09, when they went out in the group stage, and this win ended a 10-match run without a victory.
Liverpool winger Rio Ngumoha, who became the youngest English player and the youngest player representing an English club to start each of his side’s opening four Champions League games, completed seven of 10 dribbles and won 12 of 18 duels. His 25 successful dribbles are the most by a Liverpool player in the recorded group or league phase since 2006-07.
Nyoni became Liverpool’s second-youngest Champions League scorer, behind Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was 19 years and 10 days old. However, Liverpool’s defeat means they went in front in the 69th minute and then lost later than in any previous major European match.
Fenerbahce were managed by interim coach Dirk Kuyt, who masterminded victory against his former club. Andoni Iraola had turned to his substitutes before Liverpool’s second goal.
Fenerbahce’s starting XI was Lukaku, Ederson, Skriniar, Kante, Irfan Can Kahveci, Semedo, Guendouzi, Greenwood, Ismail Yuksek, Archie Brown and Kojo Oppong. Liverpool started with Alisson, Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Tsimikas, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Barcola, Victor Munoz, Trey Nyoni, Jeremy Jacquet and Rio Ngumoha.
