October 01, (THEWILL) — Victor Osimhen scored from the penalty spot to give Galatasaray a 1-0 Champions League victory over Liverpool at RAMS Park on Tuesday evening. The Nigerian striker converted after referee Clément Turpin awarded the hosts a penalty when Dominik Szoboszlai caught Barış Alper Yılmaz with a flailing arm. The goal proved enough for Galatasaray to claim their first home win in the competition since defeating Lokomotiv Moscow 3-0 in 2018, whilst inflicting a second consecutive defeat on Arne Slot’s side.
Liverpool had started brightly in front of a fervent Turkish crowd, finding space behind the Galatasaray backline through long passes and quick combinations. Cody Gakpo saw an effort cleared off the line by Ismail Jakobs after Hugo Ekitiké failed to round goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır, but the Reds could not capitalise on their early control. The visitors grew increasingly careless in possession towards the end of the first half, with Ryan Gravenberch among those guilty of turnovers that allowed the hosts to gain momentum.
Defensive errors from Curtis Jones and Ibrahima Konaté gifted Osimhen two clear opportunities after the interval, though Jones recovered with an excellent tackle and Alisson produced a fine one-on-one save. Slot introduced Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah in an attempt to change the course of the match, but the substitutions failed to generate sustained pressure. The Swedish forward tested the goalkeeper immediately after entering the fray, yet Liverpool could not break down a determined Galatasaray defence.
The visitors managed only sporadic late attacks, with VAR overturning what would have been a second penalty decision from Turpin. Galatasaray defended with discipline and organisation to protect their advantage through the closing stages. Liverpool have now won just two of their 21 Champions League away matches when trailing at half-time, underlining the scale of the task facing Slot.
Injury concerns compound Liverpool’s difficulties after both Ekitiké and Alisson were withdrawn during the second period with apparent problems. The club awaits news on the severity of the issues affecting the pair following this damaging defeat in Istanbul. Slot will hope for positive updates ahead of upcoming fixtures after suffering back-to-back losses for only the second time since taking charge.
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.
