Anderlecht 2-2 Fenerbahçe
Fenerbahçe faced Belgium’s Anderlecht in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 play-off. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, but having won the first leg 3-0, Fenerbahçe secured their spot in the next round.
In the second-leg encounter, En-Nesyri and Yusuf Akçiçek were the goal scorers for Fenerbahçe.
Potential Opponents Revealed
Fenerbahçe now has two potential opponents in the Round of 16. The Yellow-Navy Blues will face either Olympiakos or Rangers, with the draw set to take place on Friday, February 21, at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
Match Highlights
- 4th minute – Fenerbahçe took the lead. Following a defensive error by Hey, Dzeko intercepted the ball in the penalty area and passed it to En-Nesyri, who easily slotted it into the empty net: 0-1.
- 7th minute – The referee stopped the match and sent players to the locker rooms due to crowd disturbances. The game was halted after an attack on a Fenerbahçe supporter. Announcements were made in the stadium warning that the match would be abandoned if racist behavior continued.
- 19th minute – Anderlecht equalized after a defensive mistake. Skriniar’s misplaced back pass was misjudged by goalkeeper İrfan Can Eğribayat, allowing Vazquez to capitalize and score: 1-1.
- 45+1st minute – Fred received a yellow card, making him ineligible for the next European match.
- 53rd minute – Osayi-Samuel was also booked and will miss the first match of the next round.
- 55th minute – Vazquez scored from a low cross into the box, putting Anderlecht ahead.
- 63rd minute – Skriniar set up Yusuf Akçiçek, who scored with a header to secure the 2-2 draw.
Match Halted Due to Racist Behavior
After Fenerbahçe’s opening goal in the 4th minute, crowd disturbances broke out in the Anderlecht stands. The referee stopped the match in the 6th minute, and stadium announcements warned that the game could be abandoned due to racist behavior. Despite the initial warning, the referee temporarily left the field before returning to resume play in the 7th minute.
Starting Lineups
Anderlecht: Coosemans; Sardella, Hey, Adryelson, Ndiaye; Leoni, Dendoncker, Maamar; Hazard, Huerta, Vázquez
Fenerbahçe: İrfan Can; Kostic, Skriniar, Yusuf Akçiçek, Osayi; Fred, Amrabat, Szymanski, Tadic; Dzeko, En-Nesyri
Mourinho Sticks to His Best XI
Despite Fenerbahçe’s comfortable 3-0 first-leg lead, manager Jose Mourinho opted not to rotate his squad significantly. He fielded a strong starting eleven ahead of their crucial league clash against Galatasaray in four days.
Five Key Absences for Fenerbahçe
Fenerbahçe was without five players for the match: İsmail Yüksek, Çağlar Söyüncü, and Alexander Djiku were sidelined with injuries, while Allan Saint-Maximin missed out due to illness. Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, though recovered from injury, was not yet match-fit.
Mert Müldür Named on the Bench Despite Injury
Mert Müldür was included in the squad despite suffering from muscle discomfort. The 25-year-old defender started on the bench.
Three Academy Players in the Squad
Fenerbahçe included three academy players in the match squad: 18-year-old goalkeeper Engin Can Biterge, winger Yiğit Ekiz, and midfielder Şükür Toğrak awaited their chance from the bench.
