November 28, (THEWILL) – Galatasaray maintained their remarkable unbeaten run in the 2024 UEFA Europa League campaign after a thrilling 1-1 draw against AZ Alkmaar at the AFAS Stadion. The Turkish side extended their impressive streak to 15 consecutive matches, demonstrating remarkable consistency in European competition this season.
The match began with an early setback for Galatasaray, as AZ Alkmaar struck within two minutes through Sven Mijnans, capitalising on a weak punch from goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. The Dutch side dominated initial exchanges, creating several promising opportunities that threatened to overwhelm the visitors, with Ruben van Bommel and Mayckel Lahdo testing the Galatasaray defence.
Victor Osimhen came to Galatasaray’s rescue, equalising with a precise header from Dries Mertens’ exceptional cross. The Nigerian striker’s goal not only levelled the scoreline but also reinvigorated his team’s performance, with Galatasaray applying sustained pressure throughout the remainder of the first half and into the second period.
The match reached a dramatic conclusion when a potential winner from Osimhen was controversially disallowed following a VAR review, ensuring the points were shared. Kees Smit’s late sending off added further tension to an already intense encounter.
With this result, AZ Alkmaar extended their unbeaten record against Turkish teams to eight matches, while Galatasaray ended their seven-game winning streak. The draw maintains both teams’ hopes of progressing in the competition, with AZ Alkmaar particularly keen to secure a play-off spot for the first time since the 2019/2020 campaign.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
