The Turks took an early lead through Talisca, and Greenwood added another goal before halftime. Sturm put up a strong fight at times, but the margin of defeat was well-deserved. The second leg will take place next week in Graz.
Fenerbahçe proved to be too strong for second-place Sturm Graz in the first leg of the third Champions League qualifying round. On Wednesday, the Styrians suffered a 0-2 (0-2) defeat on the road against the dominant Turkish runner-up in Istanbul in front of more than 40,000 fanatical fans. To advance to the playoff for the “Champions League,” Fabio Ingolitsch’s team will need to mount a comeback in Tuesday’s second leg in Graz.
Talisca (10th minute) and new signing Mason Greenwood (45th minute)—who moved from Marseille to the Bosphorus this summer for 39 million euros—scored for the overwhelming favorites. Under new coach Ismail Kartal, Fenerbahçe thus remained unbeaten in its ninth match against an Austrian club. For the “Blackies,” who can at least count on advancing to the Europa League group stage, it was their first loss after 17 consecutive competitive matches without a defeat.
Boos when Sturm had possession
Fabio Ingolitsch stuck with the same starting lineup that had eliminated Heart of Midlothian in the second qualifying round with an aggregate score of 6–0. Playmaker Kiteishvili was still out with calf problems. On the other side, the Styrians faced a star-studded lineup that dominated the game from the very first second at Sükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. The Graz team felt the intensity of the “cauldron” right from the kickoff, when a deafening chorus of boos erupted.
Ingolitsch’s team effectively closed down the spaces in a deep defensive block until the tenth minute. Then striker Talisca, surrounded by half a dozen Sturm players, fired a powerful swiveling shot from the edge of the penalty area into the far corner. The plan to keep the score at zero for as long as possible was not successful. 85 percent possession in the first quarter-hour for Ake, Kante, Asensio, and company spoke volumes.
Fenerbahce Lacks Spark
However, the storied Turkish club didn’t create many chances. Sturm, too, rarely managed to mount counterattacks. In the 32nd minute, Jatta narrowly missed a cross and, shortly afterward, went down in the penalty area following a challenge with Skriniar that looked like it might have warranted a penalty. The refereeing team led by Englishman Chris Kavanagh let play continue. Shortly before halftime, Greenwood extended the lead with a shot from 20 meters into the near corner following a quickly taken corner kick. After the halftime whistle, Sturm defender Mitchell and Talisca exchanged jerseys while still on the field.
In the second half, Jatta dribbled his way into a good shooting position but was unable to get a shot off (53′). At the other end, Sturm goalkeeper Chudjakow was there to stop a shot by Greenwood (59′), and a few seconds later, he made another save against Aktürkoglu (60′). With two more saves against Talisca (67′, 68′), Chudjakow kept his team in the game. Then, in their third competitive match of the season, Fenerbahçe shifted down a gear, allowing Sturm to make more of an impact on offense. “Joker” Weiper had the best chance to pull one back with a bicycle kick (70th). In stoppage time, Stankovic threw his body in front of the shot to make the save (91st).
“A high-quality opponent—we knew that. They made us run a lot. The goals we conceded hurt like hell, but we’re still in it. It’s only 0–2, and they still have to come to Liebenau,” said Sturm newcomer Jürgen Heil after the final whistle.
