Fenerbahce 3-2 Liverpool: Reds throw away lead twice as Muriqi ends perfect European start

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Liverpool twice surrendered the lead to lose in Turkey. It finished Fenerbahce 3-2 Liverpool as Vedat Muriqi’s late header earned Fenerbahce a 3-2 Champions League win in Istanbul, ending Andoni Iraola’s side’s perfect start to the league phase.

Trey Nyoni’s first Liverpool goal and a header from substitute Alexander Isak put the visitors ahead, but neither advantage lasted. Mason Greenwood cancelled out the opener before Archie Brown and Muriqi struck six minutes apart to complete the turnaround.

The result leaves Liverpool on nine points after four matches and brings a second successive defeat following Sunday’s loss to Arsenal. Fenerbahce, led by former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt, move to five points.

Fenerbahce 3-2 Liverpool: goals and key moments

• 25 minutes: Nyoni’s deflected volley gives Liverpool the lead.
• 29 minutes: Greenwood equalises with a deflected free-kick.
• 69 minutes: Isak heads in Cody Gakpo’s cross to restore Liverpool’s advantage.
• 73 minutes: Brown taps in after confusion between Gakpo and Alisson.
• 79 minutes: Muriqi heads home Brown’s cross for the winner.

Nyoni milestone overshadowed by Liverpool defeat

Iraola made five changes, starting Bradley Barcola centrally with Rio Ngumoha and Victor Muñoz also in attack. Isak, Gakpo and Florian Wirtz began on the bench, as detailed in our Fenerbahce vs Liverpool confirmed line-ups.

Nyoni made the breakthrough when he met a clearance with a first-time strike that took a deflection past Ederson. At 19 years and 127 days, he became Liverpool’s second-youngest scorer in the Champions League proper, behind Trent Alexander-Arnold, according to the club’s milestone announcement.

The lead lasted four minutes. Greenwood’s free-kick struck Jérémy Jacquet and wrong-footed Alisson, restoring parity before the interval.

Isak scores before Brown and Muriqi turn the match

Iraola introduced Isak, Gakpo and Wirtz together in the 66th minute, withdrawing Joe Gomez, Muñoz and Ngumoha. Dominik Szoboszlai moved to right-back as Liverpool changed their attacking shape.

Three minutes later, two of the substitutes combined. Gakpo crossed from the left and Isak headed in from close range, providing the immediate penalty-area threat Liverpool had been missing.

But another lead disappeared almost as quickly. Gakpo got a touch to N’Golo Kanté’s delivery as Alisson came towards the ball, leaving Brown to finish.

Brown then supplied the decisive cross. Muriqi won the aerial contest and directed his header beyond Alisson, punishing Liverpool’s failure to deal with a ball into the centre of their box.

Defensive lapses undo Iraola’s attacking changes

The substitutions gave Liverpool a route to victory, but the team could not protect it. Scoring twice away from home should have provided a platform; allowing two goals in six minutes instead handed Fenerbahce control of the result.

Nyoni’s milestone and Isak’s impact were positives, but this was a missed opportunity to reach 12 points. Liverpool’s next Champions League fixture is away to Club Brugge on 25 November.

Match details checked against Liverpool’s official report and Sky Sports’ match report.

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