Victor Osimhen delivered the big moment in Istanbul, burying a first-half penalty to fire Galatasaray past Liverpool in the Champions League but for Thierry Henry, the Nigerian striker left goals on the table, Footynaija.com reports.
Fresh back from an ankle injury, Osimhen was all energy from the start. He won the spot-kick in the 16th minute, sent Alisson the wrong way, and then bullied Liverpool’s defence with his relentless running.
Galatasaray fans roared his name as he fought for every ball before being withdrawn in the second half.
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Henry, working as a pundit on CBS Sports Golazo, admitted Galatasaray showed fight all over the pitch but questioned Osimhen’s decision-making in attack.
The Arsenal and Barcelona great said the penalty call was soft and that the Turkish champions could have punished Liverpool more often.
“You’re always going to have a bit of luck — the penalty that they called wasn’t a penalty,” Henry said on the CBS broadcast.
“They did fight on every single ball, they played the counter to the max. They could have had a couple more if Osimhen, sometimes, was a bit less greedy.”
The Frenchman didn’t stop there. He pointed out that Osimhen’s greed sometimes shut out teammates in promising positions.
“He could have released the ball for one of his teammates,” Henry added. “But he took the penalty ever so well.”
Osimhen still walked away as UEFA’s Player of the Match, celebrating a return to fitness and form. His goal not only sealed Galatasaray’s first Champions League home win in seven years, it also deepened Liverpool’s struggles under Arne Slot, who lost both Alisson and Hugo Ekitike to injury.
