Victor Osimhen’s 7.5 rating vs Lille: 3 things Galatasaray fans may have missed

Victor Osimhen scored against his former club as Galatasaray secured an entertaining 4-2 victory over LOSC Lille in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

The Super Eagles striker struck in the 61st minute to cap a swift counterattack, finishing a pass from Barış Alper Yılmaz with a first-time shot to give the Turkish champions a two-goal cushion.

Galatasaray had taken an early lead through Yunus Akgün before Lille teenager Soriba Diaoune scored twice. Aleksey Batrakov equalised before the interval, while an own goal from Berke Özer put the visitors ahead early in the second half.

Osimhen played 85 minutes before being substituted, capping a productive evening against the club where he made his name in European football.

Although his goal attracted much of the attention, three other details from his performance deserve a closer look.

1. Osimhen recorded a 7.5 rating, but Akgün ranked higher

Osimhen received a SofaScore rating of 7.5 for his performance against Lille. It makes him the second-highest-rated Galatasaray player on the night and the third-highest-rated player across both teams.

Only two players finished above him in the ratings. Lille youngster Soriba Diaoune was the standout performer with an 8.2 rating after scoring twice at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Akgün, who opened the scoring for Galatasaray just two minutes into the match, was the Turkish side’s highest-rated player with 7.6.

Victor Osimhen followed closely behind with 7.5, ahead of several other Galatasaray players who also delivered notable performances.

Davidson Sánchez recorded 7.3, while goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır earned 7.1. Sallai also featured among the club’s top-rated performers with a score of 7.4.

2. Why Osimhen refused to celebrate against Lille

Osimhen’s goal was one of the defining moments of the match, but his reaction was equally significant.

Rather than celebrating wildly after scoring Galatasaray’s fourth goal, the Nigerian forward gestured apologetically towards the Lille supporters.

His response reflected the connection he still shares with the French club, where he spent the 2019/20 season.

Osimhen enjoyed an impressive campaign at Lille, winning the club’s Player of the Season award and earning the Marc-Vivien Foé Award as the best African player in Ligue 1.

His performances attracted interest from several European clubs before Napoli signed him in a deal worth more than €70 million.

The Lille supporters also acknowledged his contribution when he was substituted in the 85th minute, applauding the Nigerian striker as he made his way off the pitch.

It was a memorable exchange between a former player and supporters who had not forgotten what he delivered during his season at the club.

3. Osimhen’s impressive numbers came with one missed opportunity

Against Lille, Galatasaray striker Osimhen produced several impressive attacking numbers.

The Nigerian international, who saw one of his Champions League records taken a hit, registered four shots, the joint-most by any player in the match. However, only one of those attempts was on target, a sign that there is still room for improvement in his finishing.

His expected goals (xG) figure of 0.50 was the second-highest among Galatasaray players, behind Batrakov’s 0.59. Osimhen also recorded six touches inside the opposition penalty area, matching Barış Alper Yılmaz for the most among Galatasaray players.

However, one statistic stood out for a less favourable reason. Osimhen was the only player in the match recorded as having missed a big chance.

Despite that missed opportunity, he still found the net and helped Galatasaray secure an important away victory.

The victory in France lifts Galatasaray off the foot of the Champions League table to provisionally sit 24th after matchday three.