UEL: Rangers Stun Fenerbahce with 3-1 Away Victory in Europa League

Rangers secured a stunning 3-1 away victory over Fenerbahce in their UEFA Europa League Round of 16 tie, with Vaclav Cerny scoring a crucial brace.

Fenerbahce suffered their first-ever defeat to a Scottish side, as Rangers secured a resounding 3-1 victory at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, taking control of their UEFA Europa League Round of 16 tie. Rangers' interim manager Barry Ferguson made a tactical switch to a three-at-the-back formation, which paid dividends as the visitors made a strong start against their Turkish opponents.

Rangers unsettled Fenerbahce early on, and their efforts were rewarded with a surprise sixth-minute lead. Cyriel Dessers capitalized on poor defending, taking the ball around goalkeeper Irfan Can Egribayat and scoring with a shot that just crossed the goal line before Caglar Soyuncu could clear. Fenerbahce responded to this early setback, with Youssef En-Nesyri and Edin Dzeko both coming close to equalizing.

However, it was substitute Alexander Djiku who eventually drew Fenerbahce level, showcasing his finishing skills by hooking a flicked ball from a corner past Jack Butland. Rangers endured a challenging spell but regained their lead three minutes before halftime, setting the stage for a crucial second half.

Rangers regained their lead three minutes before halftime, catching Fenerbahce off guard. Vaclav Cerny released Cyriel Dessers inside the box, and the Belgian striker played the ball back across the area to Cerny, who calmly rolled it past Irfan Can Egribayat, stunning the home crowd once more.

In the second half, Rangers withstood the expected pressure from Fenerbahce, but they could have extended their lead were it not for some poor fortune. Dessers thought he had scored his second goal six minutes after the restart, following up on Nicolas Raskin's saved effort, but VAR intervened, ruling him offside. Six minutes later, Dessers beat Egribayat at his near post with a precise effort, only for VAR to again adjudge him offside.

Rangers claim the win in Istanbul 🥵#UEL pic.twitter.com/DHiTGrsL4o

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) March 6, 2025

As both teams tired, the game became a thrilling end-to-end contest, with each side launching counter-attacks. Fenerbahce spurned several chances to equalize, and they were ultimately punished with 10 minutes remaining. Vaclav Cerny sealed a famous away win for Rangers, racing upfield and slotting past Egribayat. This victory marked Rangers' seventh unbeaten Europa League away fixture in their last eight, making them strong favorites to progress to the quarterfinals when they host the return leg at Ibrox next week.