Fenerbahçe secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Liverpool during the fourth matchweek of the UEFA Champions League, anchored by a historic night for forward Mason Greenwood. The 25-year-old English forward scored a free-kick that placed him alongside Lionel Messi as the only players to convert free-kicks against the English club in the competition since May 2019, according to OPTA statistics.

Greenwood’s strike in the 29th minute cancelled out Liverpool’s early advantage, taking a deflection off the defensive wall and deceiving goalkeeper Alisson to level the score at 1-1, as reported by Nefes Gazetesi. Beyond matching Messi’s milestone from May 2019—when the Argentine scored against Liverpool during a 3-0 victory—the goal marked the first time a Fenerbahçe player has scored directly from a free-kick in UEFA Champions League history.

Fenerbahçe Rallies Past Liverpool

The home encounter saw Fenerbahçe recover from an early setback to claim three points in European competition. Kosovan forward Vedat Muriqi also found the back of the net, helping propel the Turkish side to a memorable 3-2 win that brought their league phase total to five points after four matches.

Speaking after the final whistle, Muriqi emphasized the scale of the result given the team’s domestic challenges. “We are going through difficult times. We showed how great Fenerbahçe is,” Muriqi told reporters, as noted by Cumhuriyet and Haber 7. “Everyone felt it, we started the match incredibly. We had a shot hit the post, we conceded an unlucky goal, we succeeded, we turned it around. This is the greatness of Fenerbahçe.”

Greenwood Reflects on Unbeaten Mentality

Greenwood addressed reporters following the fixture, highlighting the collective resilience required to overcome one of Europe’s premier clubs. “As a team, we performed very well. We never gave up,” Greenwood said, according to Haber 7. “Even when we were behind, I felt we would win the match. I congratulate Kuyt, the technical team, the players, and the fans. We knew we had to fight and suffer together in this match. Liverpool is one of the best teams in Europe. We knew if we kept it tight at the back we would have a chance. And that is how it turned out!”

The victory follows a 2-2 draw against Slavia Prague in the team’s previous European outing, where they surrendered a two-goal advantage. Muriqi pointed to the standings and upcoming fixtures as the team balances domestic title ambitions with continental aspirations.

Upcoming Champions League Fixtures

With five points accrued through four matches, Fenerbahçe turns its attention toward the remainder of the league phase. Muriqi confirmed that the club’s primary focus remains the Süper Lig championship, though the squad intends to advance as far as possible in the Champions League, with matches against Shakhtar and LASK still ahead in the tournament schedule.