However, Osimhen’s complaints failed to impress the referee, who booked the Nigerian forward to compound what was already a forgettable evening for the dethroned Cup winners.
In truth, it was a night that quickly slipped away from Victor Osimhen and Galatasaray.
At Rams Park, the Turkish giants suffered a surprising 2-0 defeat to Gençlerbirliği, ending their Turkish Cup campaign at the quarter-final stage.
On paper, the match looked one-sided. Galatasaray controlled 78% of the ball and spent long periods in the opposition half. Despite all their dominance, the home side managed just four shots, with only one on target. That lack of cutting edge would prove costly.
Gençlerbirliği, by contrast, played a clear and disciplined game plan. They sat deep, defended in numbers, and waited for moments to break forward quickly. Their patience paid off early in the second half. In the 51st minute, Fıratcan Üzüm finished off a swift move, guided by a smart pass from Adama Traoré, to give the visitors a shock lead.
Galatasaray pushed forward in response, but that only created more space behind them. In the 83rd minute, Traoré turned from provider to scorer, finishing another counter-attack to make it 2-0 and effectively seal the result.
Osimhen, returning after a 35-day injury layoff, entered the match in the 78th minute in place of Renato Nhaga. His introduction brought energy and urgency, but by then, the game was already drifting away. He could not find the moment to rescue his side.
Victor Osimhen and Galatasaray’s frustration
Deep into stoppage time, the Nigerian striker went down after a physical duel outside the area, expecting a foul.
However, referee Oğuzhan Aksu waved play on. It was a decision that clearly angered the forward.
When the match ended, Osimhen confronted the referee with strong protests. His reaction continued for several moments, and it eventually earned him a yellow card after the final whistle.
That frustration makes even more sense when you look back at last season. Osimhen was the central figure in Galatasaray’s domestic double during the 2024/25 campaign. He scored twice in the Turkish Cup final against Trabzonspor and finished as the league’s top scorer with 26 goals.
Across all competitions, he delivered 35 goals and seven assists, a remarkable return that placed him among the most dominant forwards in Turkish football history.
In that context, this early Cup exit feels like a sharp drop. From lifting the trophy and leading the line as a hero to watching his team fall short in the quarter-finals, and being unable to change the game on his return, it is a difficult contrast.
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