Fenerbahçe defeated Sporting Braga 1-0 on a wet evening at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul.
Mehmet Topal punished the Portuguese side with a late strike as the match appeared destined for a stalemate.
Nevertheless, the tie remains delicately poised ahead of the second leg in Braga next week.
Fenerbahçe began the match intent on attacking Braga’s right flank, Caner Erkin getting forward with regularity before he was involved in a challenge with Ricardo Ferreira. Ferreira was injured in the tackle and unable to continue, Willy Boly his replacement off the bench.
Luiz Carlos found Hassan with a nice pass, the Egyptian striker driving into the box with his shot from a tight angle saved by Volkan Demirel. Marcelo Goiano cut inside and a shot well over the bar as Braga silenced the hostile crowd, Fenerbahçe unable to create any clear cut chances.
Baiano shot wide before Şener Özbayraklı’s sloppy error went unpunished by Braga, the home side clearing the danger with Hassan ready to pounce. Robin van Persie was unable to gather a ball into the box before the Dutch striker shot wide after Boly’s failed clearance.
Fenerbahçe fight back
The second half began with Hassan unable to steer a Vukčević cross on target but the home side were about to pile on the pressure. Volkan Şen targeted Baiano which resulted in Van Persie turning Erkin’s cross into the net, the goal ruled offside in a very close call.
Şen’s shot was then deflected for a corner as the home team gained control with Baiano increasingly isolated and unable to contain Şen and Erkin. Van Persie went down on the edge of the area with referee Turpin producing a yellow card for simulation.
Van Persie had another effort wide of goal before Şen was replaced by Nani and Raul Meireles entered for Ozan Tufan. Paulo Fonseca responded by bringing on Nikola Stojiljković for the ineffective Wilson Eduardo up front.
Braga’s best chance of the evening fell to Josué who charged forward from the halfway line, cut inside and found space before curling a left footed effort which was well saved by Demirel. Fenerbahçe’s top scorer Fernandão came on for Alper Potuk with 10 minutes remaining as Vitor Pereira went for the win.
Late breakthrough
Fenerbahçe then took the lead. Luiz Carlos’ sloppy pass was intercepted by Mehmet Topal, the midfielder surging forward into empty space and producing a measured left footed shot which snuck inside the post past Matheus. Josué had a chance to take Topal down but appeared to decline the opportunity to take one for the team.
Rafa Silva made way for Pedro Santos but Braga were unable to equalise and take the 0-1 result back to the Estádio AXA. Not a disastrous defeat by any means, but Fonseca and Braga will be disappointed in the manner in which they conceded after fighting off the Fenerbahçe flurry at the start of the second half.
Braga: (4-4-2) Matheus – Baiano, Ferreira (Boly 15’), Pinto, Goiano – Josue, Vukčević, Luiz Carlos, Rafa Silva (Santos 85’) – Hassan, Eduardo (Stojilkovic 72’)
By Matthew Marshall
