Victor Osimhen made an impressive return from injury by providing an assist as Galatasaray defeated Kasımpaşa 3-1 in the Turkish Süper Lig on Friday, October 9, despite playing the closing stages with 10 men.
The Nigerian striker came off the bench at RAMS Park after spending several weeks on the sidelines with a groin injury. His late contribution helped Galatasaray secure three valuable points in a match that became increasingly difficult after Lucas Torreira was sent off in the second half.
The victory also returned Galatasaray to the top of the league table, providing a timely boost ahead of their UEFA Champions League meeting with Barcelona next week.
Galatasaray started the match looking to make the most of their home advantage, but they had to wait until the closing stages of the first half to break the deadlock.
Defender Abdülkerim Bardakcı opened the scoring in the 45th minute, rising to head home from Aleksey Batrakov’s free-kick and give the hosts a 1-0 advantage going into the interval.
The goal provided Galatasaray with a platform to control the contest, but their advantage was threatened after the restart when Torreira received a red card in the 65th minute.
The midfielder was initially shown a yellow card, but a video assistant referee review resulted in the decision being upgraded to a red for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. Galatasaray were consequently forced to continue with 10 players, giving Kasımpaşa a numerical advantage and an opportunity to fight their way back into the match.
The visitors needed only three minutes to take advantage of the situation.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi found the net in the 68th minute after Galatasaray failed to clear a corner effectively. His finish brought Kasımpaşa level at 1-1 and raised the possibility of the home side dropping points despite taking the lead before half-time.
However, Galatasaray refused to allow the dismissal to derail their pursuit of victory. They remained competitive despite their numerical disadvantage and found a breakthrough in the 90th minute through Barış Alper Yılmaz.
Yılmaz’s late finish restored Galatasaray’s lead at 2-1, putting the home side within touching distance of an important win. The goal also shifted the pressure back onto Kasımpaşa, who had been unable to turn their extra player into a decisive advantage.
Osimhen then helped Galatasaray put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time.
The striker contributed to the move that ended with Mario Lemina scoring the third goal, sealing a 3-1 victory and completing a successful comeback from injury for the Nigerian international.
His assist was particularly encouraging for Galatasaray, considering the importance of his return after several weeks without competitive football. The striker had been forced out of action after suffering a right adductor muscle injury during the club’s 3-2 league victory over İstanbul Başakşehir on September 4.
Osimhen had scored the opening goal in that match before being forced off in the 33rd minute. Subsequent medical examinations confirmed the muscle problem, which ruled him out of several matches and prevented him from joining Nigeria’s squad for the opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Before the setback, the forward had made an impressive start to the season, scoring six goals and providing two assists in his first four Süper Lig appearances. His absence therefore represented a significant loss for Galatasaray as they continued their domestic and European campaigns.
His return against Kasımpaşa was carefully timed, with Galatasaray preparing to host Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, October 13. Getting Osimhen back into competitive action gives the coaching staff an opportunity to assess his fitness and gradually restore his match sharpness ahead of that demanding fixture.
The result also strengthened Galatasaray’s position in the domestic title race. The Istanbul club moved to 16 points and returned to the top of the standings, while Kasımpaşa remained on 10 points after suffering their first defeat of the campaign.
For Osimhen, the night offered more than an encouraging return to the pitch. His assist helped his team secure victory at a difficult moment, demonstrating the value of having one of their most influential attacking players available again.
Galatasaray will now turn their attention to Barcelona, hoping their Nigerian striker can continue building his fitness and make a further contribution when the Turkish champions face one of Europe’s leading clubs.
