Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen scored a crucial second-half goal as Galatasaray came from behind to defeat Lille 4-2 in the UEFA Champions League league phase on Wednesday.
The Turkish champions recovered from a first-half deficit to secure all three points in an entertaining encounter in France, with six goals scored by both sides.
Galatasaray took the lead in the second minute through Yunus Akgün, who converted a rebound from close range after Baris Yilmaz’s cross caused problems in the Lille penalty area.
Lille responded five minutes later as Soriba Diaoune equalised in the seventh minute. The forward received a pass from Alexsandro, drove into the box and fired past Galatasaray goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir.
The French side continued to threaten and took the lead in the 39th minute when Diaoune scored his second goal of the evening. Assisted by Hakon Arnar Haraldsson, he found space inside the penalty area before sending a first-time effort into the top-right
corner.
However, Galatasaray restored parity just before the break. Alexey Batrakov rose unmarked to head home Roland Sallai’s delivery
in the 44th minute, ensuring both teams went into half-time level at 2-2.
The visitors moved ahead again in the 52nd minute when Lille goalkeeper Berke Özer inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.
Osimhen extended Galatasaray’s lead nine minutes later, finishing a swift counterattack with a first-time shot from mid-range after receiving a pass from Yilmaz.
The goal made it 4-2 and gave Galatasaray a comfortable advantage as they sought to see out the contest.
The Nigerian forward had earlier missed a promising opportunity in the 20th minute, while another effort was ruled out for offside in the 69th minute. However, his second-half strike proved decisive in the visitors’ victory.
Lille attempted to mount a comeback, bringing on experienced striker Olivier Giroud and making further substitutions in search of goals.
Galatasaray, however, remained organised defensively, with Cakir making important saves to frustrate the hosts.
Despite late pressure, including a volley from Maurits Kjaergaard that narrowly missed the target, Lille could not find another goal as Galatasaray held on for a 4-2 victory.
The result gave the Turkish side a significant boost in their Champions League campaign, while Osimhen’s goal underlined his importance to the team’s attacking threat.
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