- Juventus quickly responded, with Teun Koopmeiners finishing from close range after Pierre Kalulu’s initial effort was saved
- Beyond his assists, Osimhen’s movement and relentless pressing unsettled the Juventus defence throughout the encounter
- The emphatic victory gives Okan Buruk’s men a strong advantage heading into the return leg in Turin
Victor Osimhen produced an outstanding all-round display as Galatasaray thrashed Juventus 5-2 in a thrilling first-leg Champions League play-off clash in Istanbul, handing Luciano Spalletti his first defeat in the competition with the Italian giants.
Despite failing to score for the second straight match, Eko Hot Blog gathered that even as Galatasaray netted 10 goals across those two games, the Nigerian forward played a pivotal role, registering two assists in each fixture and driving his team’s attacking intensity.
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Making their first appearance in the knockout rounds since the 2013/14 season, Galatasaray started strongly and opened the scoring when Gabriel Sara capitalised on a misplaced pass from Kenan Yildiz.
Juventus quickly responded, with Teun Koopmeiners finishing from close range after Pierre Kalulu’s initial effort was saved.
Koopmeiners struck again before halftime, combining effectively with Weston McKennie before firing into the top corner to give the visitors a 2-1 lead at the break.
Osimhen had already signalled his threat, sending a volley over the bar, forcing Michele Di Gregorio into a smart low stop, and directing a header narrowly off target.
The momentum shifted decisively after the interval. Noa Lang restored parity after Di Gregorio parried Baris Alper Yilmaz’s attempt into his path, and Davinson Sanchez then put the hosts back in front from a set piece.
Juventus’ challenge grew steeper when Juan Cabal received a second yellow card, reducing the Italian side to 10 men with over 20 minutes left. Galatasaray immediately took control, and Osimhen was central to the fourth goal.
Pressing aggressively, he intercepted a loose ball and squared it for Lang to finish calmly.
He continued to influence proceedings late on, setting up substitute Sacha Boey in the 86th minute. Boey made no mistake, steering the ball into the corner to complete a dominant performance.
Beyond his assists, Osimhen’s movement and relentless pressing unsettled the Juventus defence throughout the encounter. Even without scoring, he remained the focal point of Galatasaray’s attack.
The emphatic victory gives Okan Buruk’s men a strong advantage heading into the return leg in Turin, extending their impressive recent record against Juventus to just one defeat in their last seven meetings.
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