Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen was unable to get on the scoresheet as Galatasaray claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Genclerbirligi in their Turkish Super Lig encounter in Ankara on Saturday.
The defending champions needed a late stroke of fortune to seal the points, with Genclerbirligi goalkeeper Irfan Can Egribayat turning the ball into his own net in the 88th minute.
Egribayat lost control of the ball while under pressure from Galatasaray substitute Deniz Gül, allowing the visitors to leave the Eryaman Stadium with all three points.
Osimhen started the match and completed the entire 90 minutes but could not extend his impressive run of goal contributions in the Turkish league.
The Nigerian striker was nevertheless Galatasaray’s most active player in front of goal. He attempted seven shots, the highest total recorded by any player during the game, with two efforts testing the goalkeeper. Two more were blocked, while three went wide.
He also made 10 touches in the Genclerbirligi penalty area.
Egribayat proved particularly difficult for Osimhen to beat, producing a crucial save to keep out a close-range header from the Nigerian striker.
Beyond his efforts in front of goal, Osimhen completed 75 per cent of his passes, created two key opportunities and produced one big chance for a teammate. He also won six of 10 duels, while recording a clearance and a recovery. His performance earned a 6.8 rating from Sofascore.
The result brought an end to Osimhen’s remarkable sequence of contributing either a goal or an assist in each of his previous 18 Turkish league appearances for Galatasaray. During that stretch, he had scored 18 times and provided eight assists.
The 27-year-old had only recently returned from a 35-day injury absence, providing an assist in his first appearance back.
While Osimhen struggled to find the breakthrough, Galatasaray goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır played a major role in securing the win. He made six saves, including four from inside the penalty area, and was rated 8.8 by Sofascore.
The victory also offered Galatasaray a measure of relief following their disappointing Champions League outing against Barcelona, where they suffered a 4-1 home defeat earlier in the week.
Galatasaray now turn their attention back to Europe, with Lille their next Champions League opponent, before a league meeting with Fenerbahçe.
Osimhen will be looking to return to the scoresheet when the champions resume action in the coming days.
