Andoni Iraola arrived in Istanbul intending to address Liverpool's attacking vulnerabilities, only to witness a catastrophic collapse at the opposite end of the pitch. Fenerbahce capitalized on these late defensive lapses to launch interim manager Dirk Kuyt's tenure with a tumultuous victory, simultaneously ending Liverpool's 100% record in the Champions League. This marks Liverpool's second consecutive defeat, a result that will frustrate Iraola as much as the manner of their recent loss to Arsenal, characterized by carelessness and avoidable mistakes.
The visitors initially dominated the match, leading twice through Trey Nyoni's first senior goal and a header from substitute Alexander Isak. However, Fenerbahce responded swiftly on both occasions to level the score before snatching a late winner. Vedat Muriqi sealed the victory by punishing weak defending from several Liverpool players, while Bradley Barcola's lackluster performance up front added further concerns for the Liverpool head coach.
Liverpool started strongly against an aging home side, creating two significant openings within the first five minutes. Victor Muñoz and Barcola missed shots from a cross by Kostas Tsimikas, and Jérémy Jacquet headed wide from a corner. While Tsimikas excelled in delivery, his defensive contributions remained uncertain. The match featured a distinct Premier League atmosphere due to the number of recognizable faces in Fenerbahce's lineup, which included Romelu Lukaku, Ederson, N'Golo Kanté, Nélson Semedo, Matteo Guendouzi, and Mason Greenwood.
The home crowd tested the limits with incessant whistling and constant bouncing in the upper tier whenever Liverpool possessed the ball. Liverpool attempted to control possession early on, with Rio Ngumoha making a prominent run that was halted by Kanté, though referee Clément Turpin remained lenient. Fenerbahce struggled to create chances initially until Archie Brown exposed the visiting defense with a superb pass from left back, leading to a penalty appeal for Greenwood that was denied.
Liverpool took the lead shortly after when Ngumoha's run and shot were charged down into the path of Dominik Szoboszlai. Following a clearance by Brown under pressure from Virgil van Dijk, Nyoni swept a low volley past Ederson with the aid of a deflection off Kojo Peprah Oppong. Fenerbahce almost equalized immediately after the restart when Irfan Can Kahveci turned a cross against Alisson's crossbar, potentially from an offside position.
The hosts eventually equalized following a foul by Szoboszlai on Kanté. Greenwood's resulting free-kick took a massive deflection off Jacquet's stomach and sailed past the wrong-footed Alisson, who expressed anger at his teammate for turning away from the wall. Fenerbahce finished the first half in ascendancy with several chances, including a fine save by Alisson against an angled drive from Greenwood.
The second half mirrored the first until Liverpool regained control through substitutes Cody Gakpo and Isak. Just three minutes after entering the pitch, they combined to restore the visitors' advantage, with Isak heading past Ederson from Gakpo's floated cross. However, Fenerbahce struck back quickly when Kanté swept in a cross after a corner; Gakpo attempted to head clear but only flicked the ball away from Alisson, allowing Brown to tap it in at the back post.
The decisive moment arrived when Brown looped a cross into the heart of Liverpool's box. Vedat Muriqi, who had replaced Lukaku in the second half, held off three Liverpool defenders—Jacquet, Alexis Mac Allister, and Nyoni—to plant a header into the bottom corner, completing the comeback.
Sources: The Guardian Sport.