Liverpool stumble in Istanbul while Como set Champions League record

Fenerbahce secured their first Champions League victory of the season by defeating Liverpool 3-2 in a thrilling match in Istanbul. The Dutch interim head coach, Dirk Kuyt, praised his team’s fighting spirit after they overcame two deficits to claim the win. This result marked a significant early success for Kuyt, who was appointed just one week ago following the resignation of Ismail Kartal.

Kuyt, who played more than 200 games for Liverpool between 2006 and 2012, expressed his delight at the unexpected outcome. He stated that few people anticipated a victory against the English side. The win ended Liverpool’s perfect start to their campaign, as they had previously recorded three wins in their opening three matches.

The match saw intense back-and-forth action. Liverpool took the lead in the 25th minute when Trey Nyoni scored a low volley that deflected off Kojo Peprah Oppong and beat goalkeeper Ederson. However, Fenerbahce responded quickly, with Mason Greenwood leveling the score four minutes later via a free kick that struck the defensive wall and skidded past Alisson.

Liverpool regained the lead in the 69th minute through a combination of Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak. Gakpo delivered a cross from the byline that Isak headed past Ederson. The advantage was short-lived, as N’Golo Kante’s cross led to a deflected header by Gakpo, allowing Archie Brown to tap in an equalizer for Fenerbahce.

The winner came in the 79th minute. Archie Brown supplied a looping pass into the box after a long throw, and Vedat Muriqi headed the ball past Alisson despite being surrounded by defenders. The final score left Liverpool in eighth place with nine points, while Fenerbahce climbed to 19th with five points.

In another notable result, Como continued their remarkable debut campaign with a 9-1 demolition of Lens. This victory equaled the biggest winning margin in Champions League history, matching the eight-goal margins achieved by Liverpool and Real Madrid in previous seasons.

Como became the first team since 1971 to score nine goals away from home in the European Cup. They are only the second team after Bayern Munich to score nine goals in a single Champions League match. Their third win in four matches lifted them to fourth in the standings on nine points, with a total of 19 goals scored in the tournament so far.

Como captain Lucas Da Cunha described the night as incredible, noting the team’s desire to secure the three points. He acknowledged the crazy nature of the result but emphasized the need to remain grounded. The Italian side’s performance has made them a standout story in this season’s competition.

Real Madrid also secured a dramatic result, coming from behind twice to beat AEK Athens 3-2. A stoppage-time goal by Federico Valverde sealed the victory for the Spanish giants. This win maintained their perfect start, keeping them in second place on 12 points, behind Paris Saint-Germain on goal difference.

In other matches, Manchester City won 3-2 against Leipzig, with Erling Haaland scoring the decisive goal after a cross from Elliot Anderson. City currently sit seventh on nine points. Arsenal also won in Prague, taking control through first-half goals from Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres, despite a late goal from Slavia Prague.