Ghanaian defender Alexander Djiku came off the bench to score for Fenerbahce, but his goal was not enough to prevent a 3-1 defeat to Rangers in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League Round of 16 tie on Thursday night.
Djiku, who was initially left out of the starting lineup, was introduced in the 16th minute after an injury to Çağlar Söyüncü. Just 14 minutes later, the centre-back showcased his attacking instincts, scoring from a tight angle to level the score at 1-1 after Cyriel Dessers had given Rangers an early lead in the 7th minute.
Despite Djiku’s equalizer, the visitors regained their advantage before halftime through Václav Černý, who struck in the 44th minute to make it 2-1.
Rangers continued to push in the second half and, despite having two goals disallowed, eventually sealed their victory in the 81st minute when Černý completed his brace.
Fenerbahce now faces an uphill task in the return leg as they look to overturn the deficit and keep their Europa League hopes alive.
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