Still, Braga are applying the pressure, but Fener are remaining steadfast. It has been a solid effort from the visitors this evening, and if the scores stay like this they will not be too disheartened considering their fantastic home form - though it will be incredibly difficult to score twice past the Turkish giants, who have now won a corner on the right flank...
90' +1
We are into the first of three minutes of added time...
90'
Braga are doing the pressing now, as they search desperately for what would be a vital away goal. Josue drops deep in order to get on the ball and dictate the tempo, but his attempted lofted pass over to Baiano is overhit and trickles out for a Fener goal kick.
87'
Well, Fener may have been poor in the first half, though it has to be said Braga stuck to their gameplay expertly. The hosts are looking much more lively now, however, and with their superb defensive record will be confident of seeing this result out and taking a lead back to Portugal.
85'
Pedro Santos enters the game and replaces Rafa.
84'
Another change now for the visitors, as Rafa Silva - who hasn’t quite had the effect he would have hoped to have this evening - is replaced by Pedro Santos.
82'
M. Topal has scored a goal for Fenerbahce!
GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!! FENER TAKE THE LEAD! Well, what a vital goal that is for the hosts! Carlos concedes possession in his own half and Topal wastes no time in capitalising on the loose ball. The midfielder - who had gone four years without a Europa League goal before his strike against Lokomotiv in their last fixture - drives forward before sliding a neat but powerful finish into the bottom-left corner. Fener 1-0 Braga!
79'
Fernandão enters the game and replaces A. Potuk.
A really attacking change now from Pereira, as he introduces Fernandao in place of Potuk. The Fener fans have been wanting to see the Brazilian play alongside Van Persie and Nani in an attacking trio this season, but it has not happened on many occasions. Will it succeed in breaking Braga down?
77'
M. Topal gets yellow.
Another booking now for Fener, as Topal picks up a yellow card for a reckless tackle on Josue, who looks a real danger on the counter-attack and is presenting Braga with a great outlet.
76'
GREAT SAVE! Excellent from Demirel! Braga counter from the resulting corner, with Josue leading the charge. He bursts down the right before drifting inside onto his left foot, weaving is way towards the cusp of Fener’s area and powering a low strike at goal, which dips and swerves in the air and looks set to nestle into the bottom-left corner, but the Fener shot-stopper gets across to tip it just wide!
Minute
Description
75'
CHANCE! More top quality defending from Braga, as Baiano steps across on the cover to prevent Meireles getting on the end of Potuk’s low cross following great combination play between the winger and Van Persie.
73'
A first substitution of the night now for the vsisitors, as Wilson Eduardo makes way for Nikola Stojiljković - who scored in the last round to help book Braga's place in this tie.
72'
Raul Meireles enters the game and replaces O. Tufan.
N. Stojiljković enters the game and replaces Wilson Eduardo.
That will be Tufan's last action of the night, then, as he is replaced by the former Chelsea and Liverpool midfielder Raul Meireles - who will of course be familar to the Braga contingent from his time with Porto.
71'
O. Tufan gets yellow.
Great defending from Boly, who tracks another excellent run by Van Persie to prevent the Fener striker getting on the end of another searching pass from Erkin.
A yellow card now for Ozan Tufan, who gets himself into the book for a late tackle on Carlos.
69'
Nani has looked to make an immediate effect since coming on, and shows all his quality with a fantastic piece of skill to nutmeg Vukcevic. However, he cancels that good work out with a ridiculously audacious effort from range, which is blocked with ease by Pinto.
66'
A first change of the game now for either side, and it is the hosts who blink first, as Nani replaces Volkan Sen - who had started to make more of an impact and appears extremely unhappy to be going off - out on the left wing. The former Manchester United winger has netted seven times for Fener since his arrival in the close-season.
65'
Nani enters the game and replaces V. Şen.
Another quicker, more accurate and incisive move from Fener results in Souza threading a pas into the feet of Van Persie, who gets around the goalkeeper with a neat bit of footwork, but he is again flagged for offside.
63'
CLOSE! Van Persie makes a lovely run to get the better of Pinto and latch onto a long ball from Erkin, but he cannot direct his diving header - not in a too dissimilar position to the fantastic one that he netted against Spain in the 2014 World Cup - on target.
61'
Great work from Josue, who drives forward at pace before releasing Baiano down the right flank with a neat reverse pass. The full back delivers a curling cross that Demirel spills, but neither Eduardo nor Koka can capitalise and pounce on the loose ball before the Fener goalkeeper collects it at the second attempt.
58'
Luíz Carlos gets yellow.
A second booking in quick succession now, this time for the Braga midfielder Carlos - who lunged in high on Souza. That yellow card means the Brazilian, who has been excellent this evening, will be suspended for the return leg next week.
57'
R. van Persie gets yellow.
That’s a good decision from the referee, who elects not to award a free-kick after Van Persie takes a tumble under pressure from Boly. However, the resulting yellow card for simulation does seem a bit harsh on the Duthcman.
55'
CHANCE! Sen again does brilliantly down the left to bamboozle Baiano with some clever footwork and junk onto his right foot before powering an effort towards goal, but it deflects off Boly and trickles out of play. This is much better from Fener!
54'
GOOOAAA…… NO! DISALLOWED! That was such a tight call for the officials! Fener have upped the pressure now, as Sen again gets the better of his marker to whip in a cross. Van Persie gets on the end of it and nudges in the finish, but the strike is ruled out for offside!
53'
CLOSE! Braga have been confident and competent in possession all evening, but a slack pass from Carlos almost costs them as Fener counter swiftly down the left. Erkin threads a throughball into Sen, who lofts a cross to the back post. Potuk overruns it, but does manage to take the ball under control, only for Pinto to get across and make the block.
51'
CHANCE! Koka should have put that away! The Egyptian has scored nine goals since the turn of the year, but he failed to hit the target from close range then after Silva had dinked a precise cross into his path. Braga have certainly come out stronger since the interval!
50'
STAT FLASH - Braga have never conceded in any of their competitive fixtures in Turkey against Turkish opposition. And they have shown no signs of having that record ended this evening...
48'
A promising start to the second half from Braga, who are continuing to use the ball well when they have possession. Fener are yet to get out of their own half since the restart.
46'
KICK-OFF! The second half is under way now in Istanbul, where the rain is now teeming down. No changes for either side at the interval.
45' +3
CHANCE! Eduardo should have done better there! The Brazilian forward finds himself in a one-vs-one situation with Kjaer, but instead of backing himself to get the better of the Denmark defender, he elects to try his luck with a strike from distance which does not trouble Demirel.
45'
There will be a minimum of three minutes stoppage time at the end of the first half, as Fener win a corner down on the right. The delivery from Erkin is a decent one, but Matheus back-pedals quickly to punch to clear off the goal-line.
43'
CLOSE! Van Persie is finally starting to see more of the ball now after having little effect in the opening half-hour or so of this game. The ex-Arsenal man takes control of a long ball from deep before crafting half-a-yard for himself on the edfe of the area, but his drilled strike whistles wide of the woodwork.
42'
ALMOST! Braga’s wide players have caused havoc so far with their smart runs inside, and Silva does so again as he executes a perfect run to get on the end of Boly’s pass, but he is incorrectly judged as offside by the linesman. It would not have mattered anyway, however, as the diminutive winger could not apply the finish with just Demirel to beat.
39'
N. Vukčević gets yellow.
That’s a sloppy foul from Vukcevic, who goes into the book for late and petulant kick-out on Souza, who had already negotiated his way around the Montenegro midfielder.
38'
SAVE! Braga fail to capitalise from the set-piece and Fener counter quickly. The move is worked into Van Persie, who does well to shirk off Pinto before striking a low shot at goal, but Matheus gets down to make the save at the second attempt.
37'
Good defending once more from Erkin, as Josue latches onto a loose touch from Ozbayrakl and delivers a whipped-in first time cross towards Koka, but the Fener full-back gets across to intercept and clear the ball wide for a Braga corner...
35'
Risky play from Matheus, who invites pressure from Van Persie as he dawdles on making a clearance. He eventually gets the ball away before being clattered into by the Dutchman, and duly wins the free-kick, though he is perhaps rather fortunate to do so.
33'
Unlucky! More great work from Braga as they forge an opportunity down the right. Eduardo combines excellently with Josue and attempts to slip a neat pass into his strike-partner Koka, but Erkin is alert to the danger and emerges with the ball.
31'
GOOD EFFORT! A more patient and precise move from Braga now, in contrast to their earlier fast-paced counters. Goiano bursts down the left and slides a pass infield to Vukcevic, who hammers a long ball over to Baiano. The full-back cuts inside onto his left foot and drills a strike on target, but Demirel is equal to it.
29'
Finally, a half-chance for Fener as they manage to sustain a spell of pressure in Braga’s half. Sen does well to drift infield from his berth on the left flank and loft in a cross towards Van Persie. The former Manchester United striker rises to meet it, but Matheus is alert to come out and smother the danger, winning a free-kick in the process.
26'
Both these sides have enjoyed great home records so far this campaign, and you feel that Braga, who are looking threatening on the counter and frustrating Fener excellently, would be happy enough if they managed a draw from this game in the knowledge that they can get the job finished in the second leg. Again, the visitors get forward at pace on the break, but Goiano’s long-range effort soars over the frame of the goal.
24'
CLOSE! A corner is awarded as Ozbayrakli is deemed to have nudged Baiano’s overhit cross out of play - to the anger of the Fener fans. Eduardo whips in a cross after playing the resulting set-piece short, but his delivery somehow evades four Braga attackers and whistles just wide of the right-hand upright.
22'
A sloppy pass from Damirel almost puts Fener in danger, but Topal is alert to prevent Silva capitalising. Alves kick-starts a swift move down the left flank, which results in Sen attempting to curl a cross into the path of Van Persie but the Dutchman, who has been anonymous so far, cannot stretch to latch onto it.
19'
Perhaps a rather lucky escape for Josue then, after the Braga midfielder lunged in late on Ozbayrakli, who had already taken a tumble following a foul from Silva. The Fener man isn’t happy with the visitors’ midfielder, but the referee intervenes and calms the situation without brandishing a booking.
17'
For all their possession, the hosts are yet to carve out an opportunity, with Braga’s side closing Fener down quickly and stemming the more creative midfielders. It works to perfection as Carlos intercepts a loose ball and plays a wonderful pass into the path of Eduardo. The Brazilian drives into the area before drilling a low effort across the face of goal, but Demirel gets down to make the save.
15'
W. Boly enters the game and replaces Ricardo Ferreira.
That substitution sees Ricardo Ferreira replaced by Willy Boly.
14'
Ferreira’s night is definitely over now. The defender had made his way back onto the field in an attempt to play on, but - after having to sprint to chase a loose ball - the Braga youngster hits the turf once more with that groin injury and the visitors have no choice but to make the change.
13'
CLOSE! Good play from Braga, as Silva jinks inside from the right to get the better of his marker. He threads a pass into the feet of Josue, who drives forwards towards the edge of Fener’s area before powering an effort goalwards, but it sails just over the crossbar.
11'
An early blow now for Braga, as Ferreira, the excellent young centre back who has been key to the visitors’ success so far this campaign, goes down with what looks to be a groin injury. He eventually makes his way to the touchline for treatment, though it is unclear if he is going to be able to carry on...
9'
It has been an attritional start in Istanbul, but there is finally a piece of real quality as Erkin wriggles his way around Baiano and Ferreira before driving into the area, but he is marshalled out of play well by the covering Carlos.
7'
A brief pause in play now as Sen - who has netted twice in his last two appearances - receives some treatment following some heavy but fair challenges from Carlos and Baiano. The winger stays on the turf temporarily, but then gets back to his feet swiftly enough.
5'
An obvious tactic early on from Fener has been to squeeze forward on Braga’s back-line, not allowing the Portuguese side - who come into this game on the back of a 15-game unbeaten streak - to play out from the back. If the hosts’ attacking trio of Sen, Potuk and Van Persie are on song tonight, it could well be a long night for the visitors’ defence.
3'
It is a full house at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadyumu, and the atmosphere is certainly a hostile one whenever Braga find themselves in possession. Fener forge an early attack down the right through Ozbayrakli, but his attempted cross is directed straight into the grateful arms of Matheus.
1'
KICK-OFF! We are underway in Istanbul, with Braga - attacking from right to left in the first half - getting processing up and running.
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to this LIVE coverage of the first leg of the Europa League last-16 clash between Fenerbahce and Braga, in what is the first ever meeting between the sides in European competition, though the Portuguese visitors have emerged victorious from their last three trips to face Turkish opposition. Stick right here for what promises to be a fascinating encounter from the Sukru Saracoglu Stadyumu.
Istanbul-based Fener sit top of the Turkish Super Lig heading into this tie, having won their last three domestic fixtures since their 1-1 draw with Lokomotiv Moscow sealed a 3-1 aggregate victory in the last round. Their unbeaten run stretches back eight matches across all competitions, though they have an indifferent history when it comes to facing Portuguese opposition – losing four and winning four of their eight fixtures against sides from the Iberian nation. Their squad also boasts a large Portuguese contingent, including Raul Meireles, Bruno Alves and former Manchester United winger Nani, along with head coach Vitor Pereira, who won two Primeira Liga titles during his stint at Porto.
Braga, fourth-place in Primeira Liga, also come into this tie in fine form, with their own unbeaten streak stretching back two months in all competitions. They have, however, drawn five of their last six matches, though they ended that run with a 3-1 victory over Porto last time out. Paulo Fonseca’s side overcame Swiss outfit Sion in the last round, with goals from Josue and Nikola Stojilikovoic securing a 2-2 draw on the night and 4-3 aggregate victory and booking their place in the last 16.
TEAM NEWS - Fenerbahce (4-3-3): Demirel; Ozbayrakli, Kjaer, Alves, Erkin; Topal, Souza, Tufan; Potuk, Van Persie, Sen.
Team news is in now from Istanbul, where the hosts have made four changes compared to the line up that started in Moscow two weeks ago in their last Europa League outing. In come Demirel, Ozbayrakli, Erkin and Potuk, with Fabiano, Gonul, Kaldirim and Nani dropping out. As for the visitors, they make three changes from their last match in this competition. Out go Boly, Mauro and Stojiljkovic, with Pinto, Vukcevic and Eduardo their replacements. Without further ado, let's check on the full starting XIs, starting with the hosts...
The teams are lining up in the tunnel now as they prepare to make their way out onto the pitch, with the tension building in the stadium. Fenerbahçe are unbeaten in seven European fixtures (W3 D4) since kicking off the UEFA Europa League group stage with a shock 3-1 home defeat by Molde FK. They went all the way to the semi-finals the last time they competed in this competition back in 2012/13.
Braga reached the final of this competition back in 2011, and their trip to Istanbul is by far the longest compared to any of the other teams competing on matchday nine. Their is a huge financial gulf between themselves and their opponents, but that does not mean it will be an easy task for Fener to negotiate their way around this tie.
HALF-TIME! That’s it for the first half of this encounter, which has been scrappy to say the least so far. Despite seeing less possession, Braga have definitely been the better side so far in Istanbul, with Fener showing no sign of being able to break the visitors - who have created several decent chances - down.
In all truth, it has been a rather disappointing encounter from Fener’s point of view. They have controlled the possession, but have failed to make any real headway into Braga’s final third and - on the few occasions they have done so - have failed to capitalise. The visitors, on the other hand, have frustrated their hosts expertly, and presented a real threat on the counter-attack. Fonseca’s tactics have been spot on so far, but his compatriot Pereira definitely has work to do at half-time!
FULL TIME! It’s all over in Istanbul, with Topal’s late strike enough to secure a 1-0 win for Fenerbahce. The Super Lig side can now head to the north of Portugal with a lead - albeit a slender one - though with their excellent defensive record will certainly head to Braga with confidence of securing their place in the quarter finals!
It was a valiant effort from Braga, but in the end Fener - as they have so many times already this season - just did enough to edge the contest and take that lead into the second leg. It is a first-ever defeat for the Portuguese side in Turkey, but they will take confidence from the fact that they have shown enough to get a result tonight, even if they did not quite manage it in the end.
Well, that’s all from me for this evening. It has been a real pleasure to bring you all the action from the Europa League clash in Istanbul this evening, where it has finished Fenerbahce 1-0 Braga. Until next time, thank you and goodbye!
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