Fenerbahçe Secures 2-1 Victory in Europa League Opener Against Union Saint-Gilloise

Fenerbahçe began their Europa League journey with a 2-1 win against Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise, in a match marked by two red cards and intense gameplay. The match took place at the Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium in Istanbul on Thursday. Both teams concluded the game with only ten men on the field.

The scoring opened with a goal from defender Çağlar Söyüncü, who netted a powerful half-volley from close range at the 26th minute. This early lead for Fenerbahçe was later extended when Union’s Christian Burgess inadvertently scored an own goal in the 82nd minute, bringing the score to 2-0.

Union Saint-Gilloise’s efforts to retaliate saw a goal from Ross Sykes during stoppage time, narrowing Fenerbahçe’s lead to 2-1. The game dynamics changed notably when Union’s Kevin Mac Allister received a red card in the 74th minute. Fenerbahçe’s Bright Osayi-Samuel was similarly dismissed during the closing moments of the match.

Under the management of Jose Mourinho, who took over the team in the off-season after a stint with AS Roma, Fenerbahçe aims to leverage its experience, having previously ousted Union Saint-Gilloise in the last 16 round of the UEFA Conference League.

Elsewhere in the Europa League, Rangers claimed a 2-0 victory over Malmo. Nedim Bajrami opened scoring in the first minute, with Ross McCausland adding a second goal in the latter half of the game.

The Europa League has undergone a structural change this season, abandoning the traditional group stage format in favor of a single 36-team standings. Each team will now play eight games against different opponents through January 30.