Fenerbahce’s interim head coach Dirk Kuyt has praised his side’s intensity and fighting spirit after they twice came from behind to beat his former club Liverpool 3-2 at home in the Champions League. Just two matches into the job, the Dutchman delivered Fenerbahce’s first victory of their Champions League campaign, thanks to Vedat Muriqi’s 79th-minute winner on Wednesday. Kuyt, who played more than 200 games for Liverpool between 2006 and 2012, was last week named interim coach of Fenerbahce while they search for a permanent manager following the resignation of Ismail Kartal.
Liverpool arrived in Istanbul with three wins from three but Muriqi’s winner ended that run. Trey Nyoni opened the scoring in the 25th minute, meeting a defensive header with a low volley that deflected off Kojo Peprah Oppong and wrong-footed Fenerbahce keeper Ederson. Mason Greenwood levelled four minutes later with a free kick that struck Jeremy Jacquet in the defensive wall and skidded past Alisson.
Substitutes Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak combined to restore Liverpool’s lead in the 69th minute. Gakpo exchanged passes with Kostas Tsimikas before reaching the byline and delivering a cross for Isak to power a close-range header past Ederson. The advantage lasted four minutes.
Following a short corner, N’Golo Kante crossed and Gakpo’s glancing header diverted the ball away from Alisson, leaving Archie Brown to tap into an unguarded net at the far post. Brown then supplied the winner, looping the ball into the box after a long throw was headed back to him. Surrounded by three Liverpool defenders, Muriqi somehow headed past Alisson, wrapping up a poor night for Liverpool’s defence.
Andoni Iraola’s side dropped to eighth with nine points, while Fenerbahce climbed to 19th on five. Meanwhile, Como stormed into the Champions League record books with a stunning 9-1 demolition of Lens, equalling the biggest victory in the competition’s history. The Italian side matched the eight-goal winning margins achieved by Liverpool and Real Madrid in 8-0 home victories over Besiktas and Malmo respectively.
Como also became the first team since 1971 to score nine goals away from home in the European Cup and only the second after Bayern Munich to score nine in a Champions League match. Their third victory in four matches lifted them to fourth in the standings on nine points and continued a remarkable debut campaign in which they have scored 19 goals. Real twice came from behind to maintain their perfect start and sit second on 12 points from four matches, behind Paris Saint-Germain on goal difference.
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