Victor Osimhen Shines in Galatasaray’s 3-2 Win Over Tottenham in Europa League Thriller

Galatasaray handed Tottenham Hotspur their first Europa League defeat of the season with a dramatic 3-2 victory in Istanbul on Thursday night, with Victor Osimhen’s clinical brace proving the difference. Despite a valiant fight from Spurs, including a second-half goal from Dominic Solanke, the Turkish side were too dominant, and the match ultimately underscored the gap between the two teams, particularly in terms of composure and finishing.

The night kicked off in electric fashion as Galatasaray’s Yunus Akgun struck a sensational volley in the sixth minute to give the home side a deserved lead. A powerful shot from the edge of the box flew past Fraser Forster, who had little chance to stop the ball as it soared into the top-right corner. The crowd erupted in joy, but Spurs quickly responded just 12 minutes later.

Tottenham equalized in the 18th minute thanks to 19-year-old Will Lankshear, who marked his second first-team appearance with a composed tap-in after Brennan Johnson had squared a pass across the goal. The goal was a bright moment for Spurs, but their hopes of gaining a foothold in the match were soon dashed by a relentless Galatasaray attack.

Osimhen, who had already caused problems for the Spurs defense with a disallowed goal earlier in the half, was clinical as he put his side back in front. In the 31st minute, he capitalized on a poor pass from Tottenham’s Radu Dragusin and latched onto a pinpoint assist from Dries Mertens to toe-poke the ball past Forster and restore Galatasaray’s lead. Less than ten minutes later, Osimhen doubled his tally, finishing with a precise volley from Mertens’ expertly delivered cross to make it 3-1 before the break.

The second half saw Spurs attempt to rally, with Ange Postecoglou making several changes, including bringing on Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur for Son Heung-Min and Brennan Johnson. However, their efforts were hindered when Lankshear was sent off for two yellow cards in quick succession, leaving Spurs down to 10 men for the final 30 minutes of the game.

Despite being a man down, Tottenham found a way back into the match. In the 69th minute, substitute Dominic Solanke scored a tap-in from a low Pedro Porro cross to reduce the deficit to 3-2. The goal briefly raised Spurs’ hopes of a comeback, but Galatasaray’s defense held firm, and the visitors were unable to create any further clear chances. Kulusevski had a late opportunity to equalize, but his long-range effort rolled wide of the post with Galatasaray goalkeeper Fernando Muslera stranded off his line.