Sports writers evaluate the Fenerbahçe - Union Saint-Gilloise match: It is a good thing Fenerbahçe could take a break from the Super Lig chaos

Our only representative in Europe, Fenerbahçe, hosted Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise in the second leg of the UEFA Conference League Round of 16.

Having won the first leg 3-0 away, the Yellow-Navies managed to advance to the quarterfinals of the Conference League despite losing 1-0 to their opponent.

Sports writers evaluated the Fenerbahçe - Union Saint-Gilloise match.

UĞUR MELEKE: EUROPEAN NINTH PLACE IS IMPORTANT

In football, ninth place in Europe is a very reasonable step for Turkey. Of course, the goal should be to push for the top eight. However, ninth place, right behind the big eight, is also a realistic position for us. In our entire football history, we have only reached the seventh spot once, in 2001. That was the short-term reward for Galatasaray's UEFA victory. With Fenerbahçe eliminating USG yesterday, both dealing a blow to eighth-place Belgium and solidifying our place in ninth with other results developing throughout the night is extremely positive. (HÜRRİYET)

GÜRCAN BİLGİÇ: A JOURNEY THAT WILL END IN GREECE

Fenerbahçe asked for a new ticket for a journey that will end in Greece. They are a little far from the enthusiasm of the beginning of the season. Fred taking responsibility, Szymanski gaining confidence, İrfan Can Kahveci's leadership, and the taste Tadic leaves on the palate are not far off. It was not a normal match. While knocking on the door of the quarterfinals, running forward and taking risks could have been unnecessary. Instead of tiring themselves out, waiting and continuing the journey was important. In other words, it is not a 90-minute match to be viewed with emotions. In the end, the "necessary" was done. (SABAH)

ALİ GÜLTİKEN: LET THE CONCEDED GOAL BE A TOKEN OF LUCK

Fenerbahçe passed the round again with the right defensive tactic at home. Scoring in Istanbul was also important, but we saw that the score from the first match was sufficient when they couldn't. Having the huge advantage of the 3 goals scored there in their pocket strengthened Fenerbahçe tactically. They perhaps allowed their opponent to possess the ball in certain areas, but they did not give their opponent positions either inside the penalty area or in the areas behind the defense. Let's accept the goal they conceded as a token of luck for the round and look ahead in Europe. (SABAH)

ERMAN ÖZGÜR: THE EFFECT OF FATIGUE

If it weren't for Djiku in the second half, where Union took every risk to change the fate of the round, the match could have turned into a nightmare. Although Rasmussen's goal was a glimmer of hope, Union's strength was not enough against this low-gear Fenerbahçe. Despite the defeat, Fenerbahçe managed to pass the round and found it sufficient to save the day in terms of play. For Fenerbahçe, which is ambitious in two competitions, I can say that fatigue is a sufficient excuse for this performance. (FANATİK)

ERCAN GÜVEN: THANK GOODNESS!

Oh, how nice it is to see a hard-fought match that doesn't start with conspiracy and end with intrigue, where there is not the slightest doubt about the referee, where third parties cannot gossip in victory or mock in defeat by running with salt, where lying on the ground or against the opponent is not even considered, which is played and finished on the pitch, where the result is determined by effort and talent, and the reward is as great as the ambition. How nice it is to advance to the next round... How nice it is to grow the goal and not be subjected to the cursed fortunes of football witches in return. Forget about us... These conditions must have been what Fenerbahçe was longing for. Even if they lost! It is a good thing Fenerbahçe could take a break from the Super Lig chaos, it is a good thing they could take deep breaths from the noble struggle of football with a European opponent and a European referee... It is a good thing there was a Conference League and they reached the quarterfinals so they could get a visa for new changes of scenery. (MİLLİYET)

ENGİN KEHALE: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED SUCCESSFULLY

If they could have scored a goal from the 0.96 expected goals they created in the first half, the second half could have been much more difficult. In the first match, we saw that the Belgian team had 51% to 49% possession. In the second match, however, Fenerbahçe had over 60% possession in the first half. Two different games required a different structure on the pitch. The Yellow-Navies missed both Tadic and Dzeko in possession play. The second half of the match turned into a game where the Belgian team had more possession. Actually, while it was going smoothly, the Rasmussen goal that came in the 68th minute pushed Kadıköy into that familiar anxiety in the last 20 minutes. Fortunately, the anxiety did not turn into tension. There are now 5 matches left in the cup. The first match performance wins the cup, the second match struggles on the way to the semifinals. Now it is time to turn dreams into reality. (HÜRRİYET)

News Source: 12punto