Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen delivered a standout performance on Sunday, netting twice to secure Galatasaray’s thrilling 3-2 win over Samsunspor in the Turkish Super League.
His brace, however, carried a special dedication, as he paid tribute to injured teammate Mauro Icardi, who suffered a horrific injury last week.
Osimhen held up a jersey with Icardi’s name, applauding his “leader” and “important figure” in the team.
The Nigerian striker wasted no time, heading in a Lucas Torreira cross in just the third minute to give Galatasaray the early lead.
Although Samsunspor equalised through Olivier Ntcham’s penalty in the 50th minute, Osimhen responded swiftly, restoring the lead with another well-placed header five minutes later.
Substitute Michy Batshuayi then stretched Galatasaray’s advantage to 3-1, but a late penalty from Bennasser reduced the deficit, making for a nail-biting finish.
Reflecting on his performance, Osimhen stated, “Today was an important day for both this and Mauro. I dedicate my goals to him. He always showed me love while I was here. He treated me very well.
Osimhen sends ‘come back strong' message to Icardi after scoring
Furthermore, he is also a very important figure for the team.” Osimhen showed confidence in his teammate’s resilience, adding, “We know that he will come back very strong. We trust him very much.”
This win helps Galatasaray stay atop the Super League standings, as the Nigerian continues to carry the goal scoring load within the squad as he steps up in Icardi’s absence.
“Today’s match was very difficult,” the 25-year old said. “We got a very important victory… against an opponent who knows what they are doing.”
Galatasaray are top of the Turkish Super League standings with 31 points after 11 round of games.
