Galatasaray secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Tottenham on Thursday, with Victor Osimhen scoring a brace to lead his team to the top of the Europa League table. The match, held at Istanbul’s Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi, saw the Turkish champions earn their fourth win in the competition, moving to 10 points and almost guaranteeing qualification for the knockout rounds.
The game began with an early shock for Tottenham as Yunus Akgun put Galatasaray ahead with a stunning long-range volley in the 6th minute. However, Spurs quickly responded. Just 12 minutes later, teenage striker Will Lankshear marked his second-ever first-team appearance with a goal, tapping in Brennan Johnson’s pass to make it 1-1.
Galatasaray regained the lead before halftime. In the 32nd minute, Victor Osimhen fired a powerful shot into the net to give his team a 2-1 advantage. The Nigerian forward doubled his tally just eight minutes later, volleying Dries Mertens’ cross past Tottenham’s goalkeeper Fraser Forster, making it 3-1. Osimhen’s two goals bring his total to six in eight appearances for Galatasaray since joining on loan from Napoli.
Tottenham’s hopes of a comeback were further dashed when Lankshear received a red card after picking up two yellow cards in quick succession. Despite a late goal from Dominic Solanke in the 69th minute, Galatasaray held on to secure the win.
With this loss, Tottenham’s perfect Europa League record was broken, leaving them in 5th place in the group. Meanwhile, Galatasaray’s impressive performance has strengthened their position at the top of the table.
