Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen and Galatasaray have been knocked out of the UEFA Europa League by AZ Alkmaar following a 2-2 draw at RAMS Arena on Thursday night, Footynaija.com reports.
Galatasaray went into the game seeking to mount a comeback after suffering a disappointing 4-1 defeat in the first leg. Despite passionate support from the home crowd, the visitors had their tails up, testing Gunay Guvenc early on in the game.
The Super Lig leaders controlled possession but struggled to carve out clear chances, while their Dutch counterparts remained compact and looked to break on the counter.
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AZ Alkmaar’s patience paid off just before halftime when Seiya Maikuma capitalized on a fortunate deflection to put his team ahead, extending their aggregate lead to 5-1.
Things looked grimmer when Denso Kasius struck from 25 yards out in the 55th minute to put the Dutch side two goals up.
Galatasaray responded quickly, as Osimhen pulled one back with a thunderous volley before Rolland Sallai equalized in the 70th minute. However, despite their late push, the Turkish heavyweights were forced to settle for a draw.
Osimhen scored his 20th goal of the campaign but it proved to be inconsequential on the night. The Turkish champions failed to overturn their first leg deficit, succumbing to a 6-3 aggregate defeat to end their Europa League journey.
Despite Galatasaray’s elimination, one upside from the night would be Osimhen’s form in front of goal. The Super Lig leaders will be hoping he can carry on in this manner as they look to successfully defend their domestic crown.
Osimhen’s Galatasaray currently hold a six-point lead at the top of the Super Lig table, with Jose Mourinho’s ever improving Fenerbahce breathing down their necks. They must avoid any further slip ups as those could prove costly.
