Super Eagles and Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen didn’t enjoy the best of nights at Anfield as his team were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Liverpool, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 27-year-old went down just seven minutes into the game after crashing into Ibrahima Konate in the tussle for a ball in the air.
Osimhen was treated and his hand bandaged, but he barely hung on and couldn’t get involved and press as he usually would. Instead, he just fought hard to stay on the pitch while Galatasaray played with a man down, literally.
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Galatasaray vs Liverpool: How the game went
Arne Slot’s men dominated the game from the first minute while Galatasaray were pegged in their own half of the pitch.
Alexis Mac Allister’s blocked shot in the 20th minute fell to Florian Wirtz, whose ricocheted attempt was deflected out for a corner kick.
The resulting corner kick was taken short by the Argentine. While many were expecting an outswinger, Mac Allister opted for a low cross into the box, and Dominik Szoszlai, who’s been in immense form this season, swept the ball beyond Ugurcan Çakir to break the deadlock at Anfield.
Just before half-time, Liverpool were awarded a penalty after Ismail Jakobs’ late charge to strike a ball met with Szoszlai’s shin.
Salah, who was looking to score his 50th UEFA Champions League goal, stepped up and attempted a dink down the middle.
However, Ugurcan Çakir, who had moved to the right, stuck out a foot to parry the attempt and keep the score respectable for Galatasaray heading into half-time.
With little to no motion on the pitch, Victor Osimhen was replaced by Leroy Sane at the start of the second half, and the Nigerian’s absence on the pitch was felt as Galatasaray went from bad to worse.
Cakir stepped up for Okan Buruk’s men again, denying Hugo Ekitike and Mohamed Salah inside the first five minutes of the restart. However, he wouldn’t hold on for much longer.
A minute after Cakir’s theatrics, Mac Allister’s first-time throughball found Salah on the right flank, and the Egyptian’s low cross found Ekitike, who side-footed a low finish into the back of the net.
Then the floodgates opened at Anfield as Ryan Gravenberch joined the party. The ex-Bayern Munich midfielder scored from a rebound after Mo Salah’s attempt was parried by Cakir, making it three for the six-time UEFA Champions League winners.
Salah would eventually get his 50th UEFA Champions League goal in the 62nd minute. A quick exchange of short passes with Florian Wirtz on the Galatasaray box set the ball up for the winger in his favourite position, and he sent a curler into the top corner to hit a career milestone in great fashion.
Galatasaray’s night went from bad to worse when Noa Lang sliced a finger in the 78th minute after only just coming on at half-time. He was replaced by Mauro Icardi.
Galatasaray’s season in European competitions is officially over, and they have the Super Lig and the League Cup to fight for.
For Liverpool, tonight’s massive win will serve as a huge boost in their domestic chase for a top-four spot, while the fans dream of a deep run in the UEFA Champions League.
