Rahmonaliyev in the starting lineup against Borussia, 90th-minute drama in Istanbul

21 October 2026, 06:48·52·Sport

The first two matches of the 3rd round of the UEFA Champions League group stage have concluded.

The games held in Baku and Istanbul provided fans with genuine tension, quick goals, and drama that lasted until the final minutes. Especially, the appearance of the Uzbek legionnaire against the German powerhouse in the Baku match drew the spotlight of local fans.

Test in Baku: Rahmonaliyev played 81 minutes against Borussia Dortmund

In the capital of Azerbaijan, the local Sabah team hosted Germany's renowned club Borussia D. The match ended with a hard-fought 2:1 victory for the visitors:

Rahmonaliyev in the starting lineup: Uzbekistan national team midfielder Umarali Rahmonaliyev started the match in the main lineup and actively operated in the center until the 81st minute before being substituted;
Brace from Guirassy: For Dortmund, Serhou Guirassy scored two goals in the 10th and 53rd minutes, securing his team's victory;
Sabah's only goal: Although McCarthy equalized for the hosts in the 39th minute, this was not enough for the Azerbaijanis to earn points.

90th-minute heartache in Istanbul: Fenerbahce let victory slip away

Turkey's Fenerbahce club hosted Prague's Slavia at home and settled for a hard-fought 2:2 draw:

Ferocious start by the Istanbul side: The hosts had a stellar start — Aydin scored in the 4th minute, and Mason Greenwood scored in the 11th minute, quickly bringing the score to 2:0;
Czech resilience and a late goal: Slavia responded through Provod in the 15th minute. Just when the match seemed decided, Kachar leveled the score (2:2) in the 90th minute, snatching away an important victory from the Turkish team.

Match summary:

Sabah — Borussia D 1:2
Goals: McCarthy (39) — Guirassy (10, 53 brace).
Fenerbahce — Slavia 2:2
Goals: Aydin (4), Greenwood (11) — Provod (15), Kachar (90).

Such intense competition observed right from the opening matches indicates that the 3rd round of the Champions League will be even more fierce and uncompromising.