Wednesday night, as the Turkish giants suffered a 3-1 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb at the Maksimir Stadium. Despite flashes of promise and controlling possession at times, sloppy defending and a collapse in the second half condemned Domenico Tedesco’s side to a disappointing start.
The Yellow Canaries initially found a response after Dion Beljo opened the scoring for the hosts in the 21st minute. Just four minutes later, Polish midfielder Sebastian Szymański fired a brilliant low shot from the edge of the box to net his first goal of the season, sending the traveling Fenerbahçe contingent into a brief frenzy and leveling the score at the break.
However, the second half brought renewed pressure from Zagreb that quickly forced errors from the visitors. Beljo punished a defensive lapse immediately after the restart, composing himself to score his second goal of the night in the 50th minute, regaining the lead for Dinamo.
Fenerbahçe struggled to create clear-cut opportunities as they chased the equalizer, and the match was ultimately sealed deep into stoppage time when Mounsef Bakrar lashed home the third goal for Zagreb in the 95th minute.
Tedesco Criticizes Fundamentals After Tactical Gambles
Coach Domenico Tedesco surprised many with his initial tactical setup, deploying center-back Çağlar Söyüncü at right-back and moving Nelson Semedo into midfield. While the manager defended the experiment, he admitted that individual defensive mistakes proved to be the team’s undoing.
“The issue was not positions but how we conceded,” Tedesco insisted post-match. “We must defend better. On the third goal, we have to block the shot – that is fundamental. We also lost too many duels and second balls. These details make the difference in Europe.”
Tedesco noted that his side showed progress in certain areas, such as stronger pressing and better ball control, compared to recent league performances. However, he concluded that a lack of concentration in the box and a failure to win one-on-one battles were where the game was lost.
The defeat leaves Fenerbahçe languishing in 35th position after Matchday 1. The team will now look to rebound quickly when they host French side Nice on October 2, a match the manager has already labeled as “a must-win” to keep their hopes of advancing alive.
