Fenerbahçe 1-1 Roma: Serie A's early leaders held to a draw in Istanbul
Bryan Cristante's 39th-minute strike had Roma ahead at the Şükrü Saracoğlu, but Archie Brown levelled three minutes into the second half as Fenerbahçe opened their Champions League league phase with a 1-1 draw against Serie A's unbeaten leaders.
Fenerbahçe opened their Champions League league phase with a 1-1 draw against Roma at the Şükrü Saracoğlu, a result that ended the visitors' perfect start to the season without denting it too badly. Bryan Cristante gave Roma the lead in the 39th minute with a shot from range, and Archie Brown pulled Fenerbahçe level just three minutes into the second half, finishing off a move started by Mason Greenwood.
A draw for an unbeaten Roma side
The point means more to Roma than the scoreline suggests. Gian Piero Gasperini's side arrived in Istanbul as Serie A's early pace-setters, unbeaten through three rounds with wins over Fiorentina, Lecce and Atalanta and a goal difference of plus nine — 10 scored, only one conceded. Dropping points for the first time this season, in their Champions League opener rather than in the league, is a mild dent in an otherwise flawless run rather than a genuine setback.
A game that turned physical
Six yellow cards were shown across the 90 minutes — four to Fenerbahçe, including Brown himself just minutes after his equaliser, and two to Roma, with Cristante booked late on to go with his goal. Roma had the better of the underlying numbers, with 58% of the possession and an expected-goals reading of 1.64 to Fenerbahçe's 0.53, but the home side matched them where it mattered, with five shots on target to Roma's three.
Match stats
| Stat | Fenerbahçe | Roma |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 41.7% | 58.3% |
| Shots on target | 5 | 3 |
| Total shots | 11 | 8 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 1.64 | 0.53 |
| Corners | 1 | 3 |
| Fouls | 12 | 19 |
| Yellow cards | 4 | 2 |
Line-ups
| Fenerbahçe | Roma |
|---|---|
| Ederson | Svilar |
| Müldür | Rensch |
| Brown | Wesley |
| Yüksek | Hermoso |
| Skriniar | Ndicka |
| Aké | Mancini |
| Kanté | Koné |
| Elmaz | Cristante |
| Muriqi | Malen |
| Greenwood | Dybala |
| Aktürkoglu | Soulé |
Match facts
- 39' — Bryan Cristante (Roma)
- 48' — Archie Brown (Fenerbahçe)
- Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Istanbul — Champions League league phase, matchday 1, Thursday 10 September 2026
What's next
Both sides return to domestic action before their next Champions League fixture, with Roma looking to restart their winning run in Serie A and Fenerbahçe aiming to build on a share of the points against one of this season's form teams in Italy.
Picks for you
Advertising. Affiliate links — we may earn a commission on your purchases, at no extra cost to you. It does not influence our editorial coverage.
Keep reading
International FootballFiorentina 1-1 Napoli: Jiménez cancels out Gilmour to deny Allegri's side at the Franchi
Billy Gilmour put Napoli ahead early at the Franchi, but Álex Jiménez's second-half equaliser earned Fiorentina a 1-1 draw despite Napoli dominating possession and shots on target.
International FootballBayer Leverkusen beat RB Leipzig 2-0 as Patrik Schick's scoring streak continues
Miguel Gutiérrez set up Patrik Schick's opener and then scored the second himself, giving Bayer Leverkusen a convincing 2-0 win over RB Leipzig at the BayArena.
International FootballNewly promoted Schalke and Elversberg play out 0-0 draw at the Veltins-Arena
FC Schalke 04 and SV Elversberg, both back in the Bundesliga this season, shared a goalless draw in Gelsenkirchen that left neither side's unbeaten home form dented.