Victor Osimhen bagged two assist as Galatasaray secured a 5-2 victory against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League playoff at Rams Park Stadium that leaves the Italian giants with an uphill task ahead of the return leg.
The Turkish side raced into an early lead in the 15th minute when Gabriel Sara capitalised on a defensive error to give Galatasaray the advantage. Juventus responded instantly through Teun Koopmeiners, who scored twice before half-time to turn the tie in the visitors’ favour.
However, the second half belonged to the hosts. Noa Lang equalised shortly after the break and then restored Galatasaray’s lead. A critical turning point came in the 67th minute when Juventus were reduced to 10 men after Juan Cabal received a second yellow card.
With the numerical edge, Galatasaray capitalised relentlessly. Davinson Sánchez extended the lead with a header, and substitute Sacha Boey wrapped up the scoring with a late fifth goal to seal a commanding victory.
The result marked a rare high-scoring night in the prestigious competition and puts Galatasaray within touching distance of a Champions League Round of 16 berth for the first time in over a decade.
Juventus now face a daunting challenge when the second leg takes place in Turin later this month.
