ISTANBUL — Victor Osimhen has long been a man for the big stage. On Tuesday night in Istanbul, he showed why.
The Nigerian striker scored a first-half penalty to hand Galatasaray a 1-0 victory over Liverpool in their Champions League group match at Rams Park. It was his 10th goal in the competition, a milestone that makes him the highest-scoring Nigerian player in Europe’s top tournament.
“I came here to make history,” Osimhen said after the match. “For me, it’s about helping the team and giving my best every time.”
Liverpool dominated possession, holding the ball for more than 60 percent of the game. Yet the Premier League side lacked sharpness in attack, a problem compounded by injuries to goalkeeper Alisson Becker and new signing Hugo Ekitike.
Manager Jürgen Klopp cut a frustrated figure on the touchline. “We had the chances, but we weren’t clinical,” he admitted. “The boys gave everything, but football is about moments. They took theirs, we didn’t.”
The match was not without controversy. In the dying minutes, Liverpool thought they had earned a penalty when Mohamed Salah went down in the box. But after a lengthy video review, the referee overturned the decision, leaving the visitors empty-handed.
For Galatasaray, the victory was another reminder of their resurgence in European football. For Liverpool, it was a warning that dominance in possession counts for little without a cutting edge.
The result lifts Galatasaray’s hopes of advancing from a difficult group. Liverpool, meanwhile, will need to regroup quickly if they are to avoid an early setback in their campaign.
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