Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen marked his return from injury with a decisive strike as Turkish champions Galatasaray edged English champions Liverpool 1-0 in a thrilling Champions League clash in Istanbul, Footynaija.com reports.
The Nigerian forward, making his first start for Galatasaray since being sidelined with ankle trouble, converted from the penalty spot in the first half to hand the Turkish Super Lig champions a famous victory.
Osimhen’s spot kick came after Liverpool’s makeshift right-back Dominik Szoboszlai carelessly struck Yilmaz with a stray arm inside the box. The masked hitman stepped up with composure and sent Alisson the wrong way to spark wild celebrations inside the raucous Rams Park.
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Galatasaray’s Ugurcan Cakir made several saves, while Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo saw a close-range effort cleared off the line. Cakir also produced a brilliant stop to deny Florian Wirtz as the Premier League champions pressed for an equaliser.
Despite Arne Slot’s introduction of Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah in the second half, Liverpool struggled to break down the disciplined Gala backline.
VAR also overturned a late penalty awarded by the center referee, compounding Liverpool’s frustration and condemning the Reds to consecutive defeats across competitions.
Osimhen played 72 minutes before making way for Mauro Icardi and showed sharpness and mobility throughout, a reassuring sign for both Galatasaray and the Super Eagles.
Nigeria’s talisman will be central to Eric Chelle’s plans as the national team face Lesotho and Benin in October’s World Cup qualifiers. His timely return from injury offers a huge boost for a side that has struggled for goals throughout the qualifying campaign.
Osimhen and Galatasaray cannot afford to waste too much time celebrating this massive win though, as a fiery derby clash with Istanbul rivals Besiktas awaits in the Super Lig this weekend.
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