Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahçe kicked off their UEFA Champions League qualifying campaign by winning a 4-3 goal fest against Switzerland's Lugano on Tuesday night.
Starting sluggishly at Stockhorn Arena, the Yellow-Dark blues were shocked by Ayman El Wafi's goal in the 4th minute. Struggling to find their rhythm, Fenerbahçe regrouped after the first 20 minutes.
In the 30th minute, Fred missed a clear chance and in the 36th minute, Sebastian Szymanski's shot hit the post. Dominating the final minutes of the first half, Fenerbahçe earned a penalty in the 44th minute.
Fener's Edin Dzeko converted the penalty in the 45+1 minute, leveling the score as they headed into halftime.
The Istanbul giants started the second half with a goal, taking the lead with Dzeko's strike in the 46th minute.
Despite controlling the game, they conceded a goal from Bislimi in the 64th minute. However, Dzeko responded immediately in the 67th minute and substitute Ferdi Kadıoğlu extended the lead in the 74th minute, triggering jubilant celebrations from coach Jose Mourinho.
Although Milton Valenzuela scored for Lugano in the final minute due to an individual error, Fenerbahçe secured a 4-3 victory,
With this result, Fenerbahçe won their first official match of the season. The second leg will be played in Kadıköy next week.
Fenerbahçe's experienced striker Edin Dzeko started the new season with a hat trick. He scored Fenerbahçe's first official goal of the season from the penalty spot in the first minute of the first-half extra time and received praise for his performance. The 38-year-old put his team ahead 2-1 in the 46th minute and celebrated again in the 67th minute.
Seasoned forward Dusan Tadic also continued his impressive performance from last season in front of the goal. The 35-year-old, who managed his team's offensive plays throughout the match, established significant dominance over his opponent.
He set up Brazilian midfielder Fred for a clear goal opportunity in the first half and was involved in the play that led to the penalty in the 44th minute. He also assisted Dzeko's goal early in the second half.
Another Fenerbahçe star Ferdi Kadıoğlu picked up from where he left off after a brilliant Euro 2024 campaign with Türkiye.
He began the season with a goal despite coming off the bench after joining the team late due to his national duties.
The 24-year-old replaced Tadic in the 68th minute and scored his team's fourth goal in the 74th minute with his first touch of the match.
In his reaction after the win, Fener's veteran coach Mourinho said: "We finished the first match with a win. We'll play the second match in Istanbul. With the strong support of our fans, our goal is to secure another victory and advance."
However, the Portuguese manager was critical of the playing surface at Stockhorn Arena, calling it way below Champions League standards.
"Honestly, I didn’t want to bring this up before the match. We didn’t want to make excuses. Playing on synthetic turf, essentially a plastic surface, was tough. The players struggled with dribbling and the ball's movement. It was hard to adapt. Playing on this pitch, this surface, was challenging," he said.
"Honestly, it’s unacceptable. A Champions League match should not be played on such a surface," he added.
Commenting on the transfers and current Fenerbahçe, Mourinho said: "I’m pleased with the work the club has done. When I came here, I didn’t ask for any promises. I just wanted to build the best squad and do our best."
"The club has provided me with the best. I believe we have a strong squad. Some players were on vacation. We only had three training sessions with some players. But over time, everyone is improving their performance," he added.
"I think we have a solid team. I want to thank our president, management, sporting director and everyone who has put in the effort," said Mourinho.
