Galatasaray produced an impressive comeback to defeat Lille 4-2 in a thrilling UEFA Champions League encounter, with Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen scoring the decisive fourth goal after the Turkish champions recovered from falling behind in the first half.
The Matchday Three encounter at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy delivered six goals as both sides traded attacking blows before Galatasaray took control in the second half to secure a valuable victory in the league phase.
Galatasaray made a flying start, taking the lead through Yunus Akgün in the second minute. The Turkish winger struck early to put the visitors ahead and give them an immediate advantage.
However, Lille responded quickly. Soriba Diaoune equalised in the seventh minute, finishing an attacking move assisted by Alexsandro Ribeiro to restore parity at 1-1.
The hosts continued to threaten and completed their turnaround in the 39th minute when Diaoune scored his second goal of the night. The forward’s brace put Lille 2-1 ahead and left Galatasaray facing the prospect of another difficult European evening.
Galatasaray, who had suffered a 4-1 defeat against Barcelona in their previous Champions League outing, desperately needed a response before the interval.
They found it in the 44th minute through Aleksey Batrakov. The midfielder headed home from close range after meeting Roland Sallai’s cross, bringing the score to 2-2 and restoring the visitors’ confidence before half-time.
The equaliser proved crucial as Galatasaray returned for the second half determined to turn the contest in their favour.
Their breakthrough arrived in the 52nd minute when Lille midfielder Nabil Bentaleb inadvertently put the ball into his own net. The own goal handed Galatasaray a 3-2 lead, turning the match around and putting the hosts under renewed pressure.
Lille had previously demonstrated their ability to exploit defensive openings, but Galatasaray’s improved position allowed them to attack with greater confidence.
Osimhen then delivered the decisive blow in the 61st minute.
The Nigerian striker found the net after being set up by Barış Alper Yılmaz, extending Galatasaray’s advantage to 4-2 and giving the visitors a commanding position. His goal capped an important attacking contribution and put further distance between the teams.
Lille now needed two goals to rescue a point, but Galatasaray had established a two-goal cushion that the hosts could not overcome.
For Osimhen, the goal was another reminder of his importance to Galatasaray’s European ambitions. His movement and finishing provided a cutting edge at a decisive moment, while the team’s ability to respond after conceding twice demonstrated its resilience.
The victory was particularly significant following Galatasaray’s heavy defeat against Barcelona on Matchday Two. Recovering from a first-half deficit against Lille offered a welcome response as the Turkish side looked to revive its Champions League campaign.
Lille, meanwhile, will regret allowing their early advantage to slip away. Diaoune’s two goals had placed them in a strong position, but Batrakov’s late first-half equaliser and Bentaleb’s own goal shifted the momentum decisively.
Ultimately, Osimhen’s 61st-minute strike completed the scoring and ensured that Galatasaray left France with a memorable 4-2 victory.
Final score: Lille 2-4 Galatasaray
Goals: Yunus Akgün 2′, Soriba Diaoune 7′, 39′, Aleksey Batrakov 44′, Nabil Bentaleb own goal 52′, Victor Osimhen 61′.
