SK Sturm Graz suffered a 2-0 defeat away to laola1.at in the first leg of the third qualifying round for the UEFA Champions League. Playing at the Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Spor Kompleksi in Istanbul on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, the Austrian side faced a difficult challenge against the 19-time Turkish champions before a crowd of more than 40,000 spectators, according to sn.at.
Fenerbahce Control First Leg Against Sturm Graz
Fenerbahce took control from the start under coach Ismail Kartal, establishing heavy possession in the opening minutes. The hosts broke the deadlock in the 10th minute when Talisca received the ball near the edge of the penalty area, surrounded by multiple defenders, and placed a precise shot into the far corner. Sturm Graz defended in a deep block but struggled to mount consistent offensive pressure, maintaining a quiet attacking presence for much of the first half while managing a penalty shout involving Seedy Jatta and Milan Skriniar that was reviewed by the video assistant referee and dismissed.
Greenwood Doubles the Lead Before Halftime
As the first half drew to a close, Fenerbahce added a second goal. Marco Asensio played a short corner kick back to Mason Greenwood, who was left unattacked about 18 to 20 meters from the goal. Greenwood found a gap in the penalty area and fired a shot into the short corner in the 45th minute, bringing the score to 2-0.
Greenwood arrived at the club in the summer in a transfer from Marseille for 39 million euros. With the two-goal deficit at the interval, Sturm Graz faced an uphill battle against a star-studded lineup that featured Nathan Aké, N’Golo Kanté, Marco Asensio, and Matteo Guendouzi.
Sturm Graz Push for an Away Goal in the Second Half
Sturm Graz showed more attacking intent after the break. Jatta created an opportunity after a pass from Valentin Heil, navigating past Guendouzi and Aké before being stopped by Skriniar. Goalkeeper Daniil Khudyakov kept the visitors in contention by making several key saves, including back-to-back stops against Talisca in the 67th and 68th minutes.
Substitute Nelson Weiper made his debut for the Graz side and came close to scoring an away goal with a bicycle kick in the 71st minute that went just wide. Jon Gorenc Stankovic also made a crucial defensive intervention in stoppage time to prevent a larger margin, while English referee Chris Kavanagh managed the fixture.
The Road Ahead for the Return Leg
The 2-0 result leaves Sturm Graz needing a comeback when they host ligaportal.at for the return leg. The match is scheduled for the following Tuesday at 20:30 in Graz, where both teams will compete for a spot in the Champions League play-off round. Sturm Graz enters the second leg with the cushion of a guaranteed spot in the Europa League league phase, while Fenerbahce looks to protect their aggregate lead.
Related reading
