Victor Osimhen Scores Brilliant Header to Help Galatasaray Beat Besiktas
- Victor Osimhen gave Galatasaray the lead in the first half of the Istanbul derby against Besiktas
- Osimhen connected to an in-swinging cross from Leroy Sane and powered a header past the goalkeeper
- The Turkish champions went into the lead at half time of the crucial encounter in Istanbul
Victor Osimhen gave Galatasaray the lead against Besiktas in the Istanbul derby with a brilliant header that left the goalkeeper no chance.
Osimhen was booked in the sixth minute of the first half but was relentless and his efforts paid off in the 39th-minute when he opened the scoring.
Source: Getty Images
He connected with a brilliant cross from Leroy Sane to send a header past Ersin Destanoglu in a half largely dominated by the Turkish champions.
Besiktas came out the better side in the second half, dominating the possession and pinning Galatasaray back in their own half and testing the goalkeeper more times.
Leroy Sane, who provided the assist for Victor Osimhen complicated the issue when he was sent off for a poor challenge after VAR review and Gala faced the final 30 minutes with 10 men.
According to TRT Futbol, the referee initially waved play on but the VAR notified him that Sane's foul was a violent conduct and the German who was on a yellow card initially was shown a straight red card.
The match went on for an extended additional minutes in the second half, which lasted more than 10 minutes and despite all Besiktas gave, Galatasaray held on.
The result helped Galatasaray extend their lead at the top of the Turkish Super League table to seven points, with Fenerbahce having a game at hand.
It also helps Galatasaray remain in high spirits ahead of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg clash against Liverpool on March 10, 2026.
Victor Osimhen reacts to Galatasaray's win
Match winner Victor Osimhen spoke to GS TV after the match and admitted that he and his teammates knew the match would not be easy because of the quality of the opponent.
Source: Getty Images
“We knew it wouldn’t be easy. We expected to play against a tough opponent in front of thousands of fans. We had momentum in the match. We scored a goal. We struggled after the red card. That’s normal when you’re playing against a quality opponent,” he said.
“I congratulate my teammates for both their endurance and strength. We fought very aggressively until the very end. In that respect, I’m very happy with this victory.
“I am proud of our team. We show great unity in both our away and home games. For this, we need to take it one game at a time and fight for each other.”
Okan Buruk reacts to Galatasaray's win
Legit.ng reported that Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk spoke about his team's performance during the difficult win over Istanbul rivals Besiktas.
The manager admitted that his team had moments when they played poorly and also hit out at the referee particularly the fourth official.
Source: Legit.ng
