Victor Osimhen scored twice to hand Galatasaray a thrilling 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in Istanbul, marking Spurs’ first Uefa Europa League loss of the season.
The Nigerian striker, on loan from Napoli, struck his first goal of the tournament in the 31st minute, then followed it up with a second just eight minutes later, bringing his total tally to six goals in all competitions for the Turkish side.
Tottenham, who conceded 28 shots while managing only five of their own, were fortunate to keep the scoreline respectable despite going down to 10 players when Will Lankshear was sent off in the second half.
Galatasaray opened the scoring early, with Yunus Akgun firing a stunning volley into the top corner in the sixth minute. Spurs responded through 19-year-old Lankshear, who tapped in his debut goal for the club from Brennan Johnson’s assist.
However, Tottenham’s defense struggled against Osimhen, who forced a save from Fraser Forster and saw a goal ruled out for offside before finally netting a clever toe-poke after Radu Dragusin’s misplay. Moments later, Osimhen struck again, cushioning a precise volley from Dries Mertens’ cross to make it 3-1.
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou brought on Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur at halftime, but Spurs continued to falter, with Galatasaray pushing for more. Lankshear then received a second yellow for a reckless tackle, reducing Tottenham to 10 men, as Forster’s saves kept them from further damage.
Osimhen, who now has 12 goals across his 23 starts in major European competitions, continues to raise his profile during his loan spell.
Osimhen moved to Galatasaray after unsuccessful moves to Chelsea and Al Ahli. The Nigerian striker is proving his worth, with his release clause set to decrease from €130 million to €90 million in January and €75 million by June 2025.
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