ISTANBUL - An 87th-minute winner from Semih Senturk gave Fenerbahce a narrow win against Sevilla in the opening leg of their Champions League last-16 clash.
With both teams making their first ever appearance in the knockout stage of the competition, Mateja Kezman's first Champions League goal in over six years set them on their way, before an own goal from Edu put Sevilla back in it.
Fenerbahce nudged ahead again in the second half through Diego Lugano's header, with fellow defender Julien Escude replying for Sevilla.
The game then looked set to end in deadlock but Senturk had other ideas.
His late goal maintained the home side's 100% record in the competition this season, although UEFA Cup holders Sevilla proved a formidable opponent in their first ever season of Champions League football.
The visitors did not get off to the greatest of starts in Istanbul though, as Fenerbahce seized the advantage in the 17th minute.
Poor defending from Sevilla hardly helped their cause as Ugur Boral had oceans of space to cross the ball into the box from the left and pick out Kezman.
Two Sevilla players stood and watched either side of him as the Serbian forward diverted his header away from goalkeeper Andres Palop and into the right side of the net.
Their lead lasted just six minutes before the home crowd were silenced at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium.
A dangerous cross into the box from Daniel Alves was met with a lunge by Fenerbahce defender Edu, and to his dismay, the ball struck his boot and rose over the head of goalkeeper Volkan Demirel for the equaliser.
Only the heroics of Palop then ensured that Sevilla went in level at the interval.
Mehmet Aurelio was a yard out from goal and poised to connect with Boral's cross. The midfielder nodded goalwards, but at the last second Palop palmed the ball away, crashing into the post as a result.
The second half continued to be a see-saw battle until the home side regained the lead, and again poor Sevilla defending cost them dear.
An outswinging corner from Alex was met by the head of Lugano, who placed his header into the top right of the goal past a rooted Palop in the 57th minute.
This time, their lead lasted nine minutes. before a well-worked set-piece got the visitors back into the game.
Duda's corner was nodded across the face of goal by Christian Poulsen into the path of Escude, who shook off the despairing challenge of Roberto Carlos to volley past Demirel.
Such was his determination to get to the ball, the Brazilian defender was left nursing a nasty gash to his shin.
It looked to all intents and purposes as if Sevilla had secured a priceless away draw but yet more slack defending led to Fenerbahce sealing the win.
Senturk had all the time in the world to pick his spot as a ball came over the top. His low shot took a slight deflection off Ivica Dragutinovic and past Palop into the net.
