After serving a one-match suspension in Galatasaray's devastating 1-4 first leg defeat to Dutch club AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Europa League Round of 32, Nigeria superstar Victor Osimhen returned to make the difference in Turkish Super Lig action on Monday.
The Super Eagles striker scored both goals for the visitors in a 2-1 victory at Çaykur Rizespor, including a late winner from an assist by Gabon national team midfielder Mario Lemina. After a scoreless first half, Osimhen put the Super Lig leaders ahead in the 47th minute with a towering header from a Przemyslaw Frankowski cross.
But hosts Rizespor improved their efforts after halftime as well. Less than ten minutes after Osimhen's opener, the midtable club leveled through Gambian forward Ali Sowe.
As time wore on it appeared that Rizespor may claim a point off the reigning Turkish club champions but Osimhen had other ideas. In the 86th minute, a corner kick from the left wing found Lemina who headed the ball towards goal. Waiting inside the six-yard box, Osimhen managed to apply the final touch with his head to give Galatasaray all three points away from home.
Osimhen now has 14 goals in 18 league matches for Galatasaray, good for third on the Super Lig top scorer table behind on fire Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri (15 goals) and Krzysztof Piatek (18 goals). The 26-year-old native of Lagos also has 5 goals in 6 Europa League appearances and will have to be at his best for Galatasaray to overturn a three-goal deficit when the Istanbul giants host AZ Alkmaar in the second leg of their Round of 32 clash on Thursday.
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