Victor Osimhen Struggles as Galatasaray Suffers Istanbul Derby Defeat to Besiktas

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen endured a frustrating night as Galatasaray suffered a 2-1 defeat to Besiktas in the highly anticipated Istanbul derby at the Tupras Stadium on Saturday night.

Osimhen, who played the full 90 minutes, returned to club action after an eventful international break where he was Nigeria’s standout performer in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. The Napoli loanee scored all three goals for the Super Eagles in their 2-0 win over Rwanda and 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe, showing his lethal finishing ability. However, he was unable to replicate that form for Galatasaray as they stumbled against their fierce rivals.

Besiktas Edge Galatasaray in a Tight Contest

Galatasaray’s head coach, Orkan Buruk, wasted no time in reintegrating Osimhen into the starting lineup, as the Nigerian striker spearheaded the attack in their crucial Super Lig clash. However, Besiktas made the first breakthrough in the 23rd minute, with Rafa Silva capitalizing on a defensive lapse to put the hosts in front.

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The situation worsened for Galatasaray when Przemyslaw Frankowski was shown a red card in the 36th minute, leaving the visitors with a numerical disadvantage. Despite being down to ten men, Galatasaray found an equalizer just before halftime, with Lucas Torreira slotting home a well-placed finish to restore parity.

Osimhen Struggles to Break Free

Osimhen, who had been well-marshaled by Besiktas’ defense in the first half, became more active after the break. The Nigerian striker registered four goal attempts, but none truly troubled the goalkeeper, as he struggled to find his rhythm.

Besiktas capitalized on their numerical advantage once again in the 66th minute, with Gedson Fernandes scoring what proved to be the winning goal. The Black Eagles held on for a 2-1 victory, handing Galatasaray their first league defeat of the season and dealing a serious blow to their title aspirations.

Can Osimhen Still Lead Galatasaray to Glory?

Galatasaray’s primary objective this season was to retain the Turkish Super Lig title and make a deep run in the Europa League. However, their European ambitions were cut short after they were eliminated in the Round of 16 playoffs, leaving the league and the Turkish Cup as their only remaining opportunities for silverware.

Following the loss to Besiktas, Galatasaray remains six points ahead of Fenerbahce, who still have a game in hand. If their title rivals win their outstanding fixture, the pressure will mount on Osimhen and his teammates in the final stretch of the campaign.

Having won Serie A with Napoli, Osimhen knows what it takes to deliver trophies under intense pressure. With the Turkish title race heating up, Galatasaray will be counting on him to rediscover his goal-scoring form and guide them to a third consecutive league triumph.

Can Victor Osimhen bounce back and fire Galatasaray to glory? Only time will tell.