Fenerbahçe advance to Champions League third qualifying round - Milliyet

Milliyet AppUygulamayı AçWebWeb'de Devam Et ENFenerbahçe advance to Champions League third qualifying roundNewsFenerbahçe Advance To Champions League Third Qualifying RoundFenerbahçe advance to Champions League third qualifying round30.07.2026 - 09:39 | Last Updated: 30.07.2026 - 09:40

Fenerbahçe booked their place in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League after earning a 1-1 draw away to Poland's Górnik Zabrze, securing progression with a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Fenerbahçe will now face Austria's Sturm Graz in the third qualifying round as they continue their bid to reach the Champions League league phase.

The visitors took the lead early in the match after being awarded a penalty following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review. Referee Lothar D'hondt initially allowed play to continue after Milan Škriniar was brought down inside the penalty area, but reversed his decision after reviewing the incident on the pitch-side monitor.

Anderson Talisca converted the spot kick in the 12th minute, giving Fenerbahçe the lead and extending his impressive start to the new season.

The Brazilian forward, who finished last season with 27 goals in all competitions, has now scored in both of Fenerbahçe's opening competitive matches. After netting the winner from a free kick in the first leg, Talisca was once again the decisive figure with his penalty in Poland.

The match was briefly suspended shortly after Fenerbahçe's opening goal due to heavy smoke caused by flares in the stands, which significantly reduced visibility. Play resumed after officials deemed conditions safe to continue.

The result keeps Fenerbahçe's Champions League campaign alive as the Istanbul club moves one step closer to a place in Europe's premier club competition.