Osimhen struggles in tight Gala victory

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen was kept quiet by the Genclerbirligi defence and goalkeeper Irfan Can Egribayat as Galatasaray managed a slim 1-0 win in Ankara on Saturday. The game was decided by a late own goal from Egribayat, as reported by PUNCH Sports Extra.

Osimhen played the full 90 minutes at Eryaman Stadium in Matchweek 8. He was the most dangerous player on the field. He had the most shots in the game with seven, but only two were on target. Two of his shots were blocked and three went off target.

He also made 10 touches inside the opposition box, the highest of any player. Egribayat kept stopping him. His best save was from a close-range header that seemed like a sure goal. Osimhen held his head in disbelief. As the second half went on, Genclerbirligi’s defence remained tough, and Osimhen's frustration grew.

Genclerbirligi looked ready to settle for a draw until the 88th minute. Substitute Deniz Gül put pressure on Galatasaray, and the goalkeeper mishandled the ball, scoring an own goal.

The reigning champions needed the win to lift team spirits after a heavy 4-1 loss to Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday. That defeat left them without a point from their first two games in the competition.

Osimhen did more than just shoot. He made two key passes and created one big chance that his teammates could not convert. He won six out of ten duels and completed 75 percent of his passes. He also made one clearance and one recovery. Sofascore rated him at 6.8, and he received a yellow card for celebrating the winning goal too much.

This match ended his streak of scoring or assisting in the last 18 league games for Galatasaray since December. During that time, he scored 18 goals and provided eight assists. He returned from a 35-day injury layoff last weekend and even got an assist in that match.

Goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır was Galatasaray’s standout player. He made six saves, four of which were inside the box, and had a rating of 8.8, the highest on the pitch.

Galatasaray will face Lille in the Champions League and Fenerbahçe in the league over the next nine days. Osimhen will look to start another successful run.