Slavia Prague upsets Fenerbahçe 3-2 in Conference League
Slavia Prague's Murphy Dorley scores his side's second goal during the Europa Conference League playoff first leg match between Fenerbahçe and Slavia Prague at Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium, in Istanbul, Turkey, Feb. 17, 2022. (Reuters Photo)


Turkish football team Fenerbahçe tasted a 3-2 home defeat on Thursday against Czech side Slavia Prague in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League playoffs.

Slavia broke the deadlock with a close-range finish from Ibrahim Benjamin Traore in the 45th minute.

Fenerbahçe leveled the match with Dimitris Pelkas in the 58th minute at the Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium in Istanbul.

Slavia upset the Istanbul side after Oscar Murphy Dorley and Ondrej Lingr both scored in a two-minute span.

Dorley netted a long-range goal in minute 62, before midfielder Lingr produced the third goal for Slavia two minutes later.

In the 83rd minute, Fenerbahçe narrowed the gap to one with Ferdi Kadioğlu.

In other playoff matches to reach the last 16 of the inaugural Europa Conference League, PSV Eindhoven, Rapid Vienna, Midtjylland and Slavia Prague won the opening leg.

PSV defeated Maccabi Tel-Aviv 1-0 with forward Cody Gakpo scoring the winner in the 11th minute.

Defender Joel Andersson scored to give Midtjylland a 1-0 win over PAOK, in the Danish club’s first game after a winter break.

Rapid Vienna beat Vitesse 2-1 after goals from forward Ferdy Druijf and midfielder Marco Grull. Vienna was down to 10 men when Filip Stojkovic received his second yellow card 20 minutes into the second half, and visitors pulled one back with a goal from Lois Openda.

The second-leg games are scheduled for Feb. 24.