ISTANBUL
Rangers secured a 3-1 victory over Fenerbahce in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League Round of 16 tie Thursday in Istanbul, giving the Scottish side a crucial advantage ahead of the second leg in Scotland.
The Scottish giants took the lead in the first half when Cyriel Dessers capitalized on a defensive error. Fenerbahce struggled to clear the ball from their own box, allowing Dessers to finish from a tight angle.
Fenerbahce’s Defender Caglar Soyuncu attempted a goal-line clearance, but goal-line technology confirmed the ball had crossed, putting Rangers 1-0 ahead.
The Yellow canaries responded through Alexander Djiku, who found the net after Rangers failed to clear a corner. The Ghanaian defender’s volley marked his first goal of the season, leveling the score at 1-1.
Rangers restored their lead before halftime. Vaclav Cerny started the move from midfield, sending the ball wide to Dessers, who delivered a precise return pass. The Fenerbahce goalkeeper was caught wrong-footed and Cerny fired home to make it 2-1.
Six minutes into the second half, Dessers had the ball in the Fenerbahce net, but a VAR check ruled him offside. Minutes later, he found the net again, but the goal was disallowed once more, to the relief of the home crowd.
Despite the two ruled-out goals, Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce struggled to find an equalizer.
The Light Blues extended their lead in the second half, with Cerny making it 3-1 in the 81st minute, securing a vital win and leaving Fenerbahce facing a tough challenge in the return leg on March 13 in Glasgow.
Other results
Real Sociedad 1 – 1 Manchester United
Fenerbahce 1 – 3 Rangers
Viktoria Plzen 1 – 2 Lazio
Ajax 1 – 2 Eintracht Frankfurt
FCSB 1 – 3 Lyon
AZ Alkmaar 1 – 0 Tottenham
Bodo/Glimt 3 – 0 Olympiakos
Roma 2 – 1 Athletic Bilbao
