Osimhen Scores Only Winning Goal for Galatasaray at Champion’s League

Osimhen Scores Only Winning Goal for Galatasaray at Champion’s League

Nigeria’s World Cup qualification campaign has received a significant boost following the return of star forward Victor Osimhen, who made a triumphant comeback by scoring the winning goal for Galatasaray in their UEFA Champions League clash against Liverpool.

Osimhen had been set aside since picking up an injury during Nigeria’s recent World Cup qualifier against Rwanda. But the 24-year-old proved his fitness in emphatic fashion on Tuesday night in Istanbul, converting a 16th-minute penalty to seal a 1–0 victory for the Turkish champions.

Osimhen calmly slotted home from the spot after teammate Baris Alper Yilmaz was struck in the face by Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai. The goal not only secured a vital three points for Galatasaray but also handed Liverpool their first defeat of the group stage.

Osimhen’s return to top form arrives at a crucial time for Nigeria, with the Super Eagles set to resume their World Cup qualification campaign next month.

While it was a night of celebration for the Nigerian forward, it proved costly for Liverpool. The Premier League side lost both goalkeeper Alisson Becker and forward Hugo Ekitike to injuries. Head coach Arne Slot confirmed that Alisson would miss their upcoming league fixture against Chelsea.

“It’s never positive when a player has to come off like that,” Slot said. “You can be sure he won’t play on Saturday, and we’ll assess how long his recovery will take.”

With Osimhen back in action and among the goals, Nigeria will be hoping he can carry this momentum into the national team as they aim to secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.