Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen found himself contained as Galatasaray battled to a goalless draw against fierce rivals Fenerbahçe in the highly anticipated intercontinental derby at Rams Park on Monday.
Heading into the clash, the on-loan Napoli striker had been in fine form for Galatasaray, netting three goals in his first two appearances.
Expectations were high for him to spearhead Okan Buruk’s side to a league double over José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe, having won the reverse fixture 3-1—although Osimhen had failed to get on the scoresheet in that encounter.
Despite the stalemate, Galatasaray retained their position in the league standings, preserving their seven-point advantage over their fierce rivals.
Osimhen struggles for impact as Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe cancel each other out
Victor Osimhen endured a quiet evening at Rams Park as Galatasaray were held to a goalless draw by Fenerbahçe in the highly anticipated intercontinental derby.
The Nigerian striker, who had been in fine form leading up to the match, found himself stifled by a well-organised defence.
He failed to register a shot on target, managed just one effort off target, and was unable to complete a successful dribble. With only 20 touches throughout the game, Osimhen was largely isolated up front but still maintained an 89% pass accuracy, completing eight of his nine attempts.
He battled hard in duels, winning three out of six on the ground and four out of seven in the air, but lost possession seven times and committed two fouls. Despite his struggles, he won three fouls and made a clearance, but it was ultimately a frustrating night for the Galatasaray forward as his side settled for a point.
The 26-year-old has made 25 goal contributions for Galatasaray in 25 games across all competitions, scoring 20 goals and providing five assists, while averaging 78 minutes per game.
