Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen found the net for Galatasaray on Thursday, but his effort was not enough to secure a place in the Europa League round of 16.
The Turkish giants bowed out after failing to overturn a 4-1 first-leg deficit against a resilient AZ Alkmaar side.
Osimhen, eager to make an impact after missing the first leg due to suspension, gave Galatasaray hope with his goal at Rams Park. However, the youthful Alkmaar squad remained composed, dominating the match and sealing their progression.
The defeat added to a disappointing week for Nigerian footballers in Europe, following Ademola Lookman’s exit with Atalanta just a day earlier.
The visitors, boasting an average age of 23.2 compared to Galatasaray’s experienced lineup averaging 28.3, stunned the home fans with two goals in each half.
AZ Alkmaar’s Seiya Maikuma opened the scoring just before halftime, capitalising on a fortunate bounce after Galatasaray attempted to clear the ball.
