Galatasaray continued their march toward another title with a clinical 3-0 dismantling of Rizespor at the Caykur Didi Stadyumu on Sunday and the headline of the night belonged to Victor Osimhen, who notched his 15th goal of the campaign in all competitions.
The champions signalled their intent from the opening whistle. Rizespor’s Ibrahim Olawoyin found himself in the referee’s book just two minutes in, earning a yellow card for a desperate tactical foul to halt a rapid Galatasaray break. Shortly after, Gabriel Sara nearly broke the deadlock, rattling the woodwork with a powerful strike on the rebound.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 19th minute. Noa Lang carved open the defense with a sublime through ball to Baris Alper Yilmaz, who directed a precise header into the bottom right corner to make it 1-0.
Despite the deficit, Rizespor showed flashes of quality. Olawoyin remained a bright spark for the hosts, nearly carving out an equalizer with a dangerous cross into the box. However, former Spurs man Davinson Sanchez displayed veteran composure, intercepting the delivery to ensure the Lions went into the break with their lead intact.
Galatasaray doubled their advantage in the 62nd minute through a moment of pure power. Yilmaz turned provider, whipping in a cross for Yunus Akgun, who unleashed a “bullet header” that crashed off the underside of the crossbar and into the net.
The night was capped off by the man of the moment, Osimhen.
The Nigerian talisman showed his predatory instincts, pouncing on a loose ball inside the area and firing a low shot into the bottom corner. It was a milestone strike—his 15th of the season—further cementing his status as the league’s most feared marksman.
With this victory, Galatasaray maintains a firm grip on the summit of the Turkish Süper Lig, while Rizespor remains mired in the mid-table scrap.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
