Hot SourceDuro Ikhazuagbe
In-form Victor Osimhen picked up from where he stopped on duty for country yesterday when he fired a brace as his Turkish club, Galatasaray, defeated Norwegian side, Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in a UEFA Champions League tie in Istanbul.
Osimhen who was rested on return to Turkish Super Lig last weekend after helping Nigeria to beat Benin Republic and qualify Super Eagles for the 2026 World Cup Playoffs, opened scoring for Galatasaray after just three minutes, when he finished off a through pass by Mario Lemina. Osimhen beat goalkeeper Nikita Haikin with a clinical finish for the first goal.
The visitors were then under the intensity of Osimhen and Galatasaray forward line. He almost doubled his tally immediately when he got his head to two crosses by Leroy Sane but was denied by Haikin in goal for Bodo/Glimt.
But they could not hold on for too long when Osimhen punished defender Odin Bjortuft’s failure to deal with Ismail Jakobs’ cross. Haikin was completely helpless as Osimhen rounded him before sliding to an empty net in the 33rd minute for his second goal.
Turkish international, Yunus Akgun, made it 3-0 for Galatasaray on the hour mark with Osimhen also partly contributing the assist.
Andreas Helmersen scored Bodo/Glimt consolation goal in the 75th minute.
On a day Osimhen was nominated in CAF’s 2025 Men’s Player of the Year award category along with Cameroon’s Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and seven others, the Nigerian international striker showed why Galatasaray had to break bank to acquire him from Napoli in a fractious transfer saga last summer window.
Osimhen had other opportunities to complete his hat-trick, but some how he could not do so. He has now netted three goals in the Champions League including the match winner against Premier League champions Liverpool since his return from injury he copped on duty with Super Eagles in a World Cup qualifier against Rwanda.
Galatasaray fans inside their home ground in RamsPark in Istanbul, expectedly gave thunderous salute to Osimhen’s two goals.
Elsewhere, Athletic Bilbao similarly defeated Azerbaijan side, Qarabag, 3-1 in the Champions League clash in Spain.
RESULTS
Bilbao 3-1 Qarabag
Galatasaray 3-1 Bodo
Atalanta 0-0 Sl’ Prague
B’Munich 4-0 Brugge
Chelsea 5-1 Ajax
Frankfurt 1-5 Liverpool
Monaco 0 0 Tottenham
R’Madrid 1-0 Juventus
Sporting 2-1 Marseille
TODAY
(Europa League)
Braga v C’Zvezda
Brann v Rangers
FCSB v Bologna
Fenerbahce v Stuttgart
Feyenoord v Pana’cos
GA. Eagles v Aston Villa
Genk v Betis
Lyon v Basel
Salzburg v Ferencvaros
AS Roma v Plzen
Celta Vigo v Nice
Celtic v Sturm Graz
Freiburg v Utrecht
Nottingham v Porto
