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| Victor Osimhen |
Victor Osimhen made an immediate impact on his return from injury, providing the assist for Galatasaray’s decisive third goal as they defeated Kasımpaşa 3-1 at RAMS Park on Friday.
The Super Eagles striker came off the bench after several weeks out with a groin injury and made his comeback count, helping Galatasaray seal a crucial victory despite being reduced to 10 men.
Osimhen’s biggest contribution came in stoppage time when he helped set up Mario Lemina, who found the net to complete Galatasaray’s victory and cap a memorable return for the Nigerian forward.
Galatasaray had taken the lead in the 45th minute through Abdülkerim Bardakcı, who headed in from Aleksey Batrakov’s free-kick.
The hosts were dealt a setback in the 65th minute when Lucas Torreira was sent off following a VAR review that upgraded his yellow card to a red for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Kasımpaşa responded almost immediately, levelling three minutes later through Jesurun Rak-Sakyi after Galatasaray failed to properly clear a corner.
Despite playing with 10 men, Galatasaray refused to settle for a point and eventually restored their lead in the 90th minute through Barış Alper Yılmaz.
Osimhen then delivered his telling contribution, helping create the opening for Lemina to score in stoppage time and secure all three points for the home side.
The victory lifted Galatasaray to 16 points and back to the top of the Süper Lig standings, while Kasımpaşa suffered their first defeat of the campaign and remained on 10 points.
Osimhen’s return is particularly timely for Galatasaray, who are preparing for a major UEFA Champions League encounter against Barcelona.
The 27-year-old had been sidelined since sustaining a groin injury in Galatasaray’s 3-2 victory over İstanbul Başakşehir on September 4. The club subsequently confirmed a strain to his right adductor muscle group.
The injury also ruled him out of Nigeria’s squad for the opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
After weeks on the sidelines, Osimhen has now returned with an assist and a positive contribution as Galatasaray continue their campaign on both domestic and European fronts.