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ISTANBUL (AFP) - - Substitute Semih Senturk's late strike lifted Fenerbahce to a 3-2 win in their Champions League second round first leg tie against Sevilla here on Wednesday.
Sevilla, after coming from behind twice, looked to be heading for a valuable away draw only for Senturk to produce the 87th minute winner with his first kick since coach Zico brought him on for Mateja Kezman.
Kezman it was who had put the Istanbul club into a 17th minute lead when the Serbian striker charged up unmarked to head home Ugar Boral's perfect cross deep from the left flank past Sevilla stopper Andres Palop.
Sevilla were only trailing for a matter of minutes when Kezman's teammate Edu's attempt to clear Daniel Alves' cross from the right ended in calamity, the Fenerbahce defender toeing the ball past his own keeper Volkan Demirel.
Fenerbahce had won all three home games in the group stage but their performances on the road were of concern as they failed to take a single point.
In light of that travel sickness Zico's men came out for the second half intent on wrapping up a convincing win ahead of the second leg in Sevilla but Kezman's over enthusiastic challenge on Duda earned him a yellow card.
That sparked a brief onslaught by the Sevilla forwards but Demirel proved equal to the task with the momentum then turning back to Fenerbahce's favour and the Turkish champions' found themselves in front again in the 57th minute.
Their second goal was set up by a corner taken by Alex from the left with Uruguayan defender Diego Lugano leaping above the Sevilla defence to head the ball into the top of Palop's net.
In a fast moving game Sevilla pulled back level for the second time six minutes later.
The move that led to the equaliser was triggered by Diego Capel's left-wing corner with Christian Poulsen flicking the ball on for Julien Escude to finish it off, firing into the roof of the net from close range.
Fenerbahce's advantage was not the only casualty from the 66th minute goal as in shooting home Escude collided with Brazilian veteran Roberto Carlos, who had to be taken off with blood pouring from his shin, with Gokcek Vederson coming on in place of the 2002 World Cup winning back.
Then just as it looked as though Sevilla had earned a valuable away draw Fenerbahce snatched back the lead for the third and decisive time when Senturk shot past Palop from the penalty area, the ball taking a minor deflection along the way.
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