Sporting CP produced a powerful comeback at the Estádio José Alvalade on Wednesday night, defeating Galatasaray 3-1 in their opening UEFA Champions League league-phase fixture after the Turkish giants took an early lead.
The victory will attract particular attention in Nigeria because Galatasaray were without their star striker Victor Osimhen, who missed the trip to Lisbon through injury. The Nigerian forward, who had been one of Galatasaray’s most important attacking players at the start of the season, watched from the sidelines as his teammates surrendered an early advantage and eventually fell to a convincing defeat.
Galatasaray made the brighter start and were rewarded inside the opening minutes. Sporting defender Gonçalo Inácio was credited with an own goal in the fifth minute, giving the visitors a 1-0 advantage and immediately putting pressure on the Portuguese side.
The early setback, however, did not break Sporting. The home side gradually grew into the contest and began creating more problems around the Galatasaray penalty area.
Their persistence paid off in the 27th minute when Geny Catamo restored parity. The Mozambique international reacted quickest inside the box and fired a left-footed finish beyond goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır to make it 1-1.
The equaliser changed the mood inside Alvalade, with Sporting gaining confidence as Galatasaray struggled to maintain the control they had enjoyed during the opening stages. The two sides went into the interval level, leaving everything to play for in the second half.
Sporting returned from the break with greater urgency, and their pressure eventually produced the decisive moment in the 57th minute.
Luis Suárez was brought down inside the Galatasaray penalty area after Ismail Jakobs’ challenge, with the referee pointing to the spot. The Colombian forward took responsibility himself and calmly converted the penalty, sending Çakır the wrong way to put Sporting 2-1 ahead.
The goal completed Sporting’s turnaround and put Galatasaray in an uncomfortable position. The visitors responded by introducing Rafael Leão, who came on for Leroy Sané, hoping his pace and individual quality could change the direction of the match.
Instead, Sporting struck again.
In the 63rd minute, Rodrigo Zalazar produced one of the night’s standout moments with a superb free-kick. From the left side outside the penalty area, the Uruguayan midfielder curled a powerful effort over the wall and into the net, leaving Çakır with little chance.
Zalazar’s goal made it 3-1 and effectively ended Galatasaray’s hopes of recovering a point.
The final stages belonged largely to Sporting, who managed the game intelligently after taking a two-goal advantage. Galatasaray continued searching for a way back, but the absence of Osimhen was increasingly noticeable as they struggled to turn possession into clear-cut chances.
Osimhen had been one of Galatasaray’s biggest attacking threats before the Champions League opener, scoring half of the club’s goals in their opening league matches according to Sporting’s pre-match report. His absence, alongside other missing players, left Okan Buruk’s team without one of its most reliable sources of goals.
For Sporting, the result represents an impressive beginning to their European campaign. They showed character after conceding early, with Catamo’s equaliser providing the spark before Suárez’s penalty and Zalazar’s stunning free-kick completed the comeback.
The match also offered a reminder of Sporting’s growing confidence in Europe. The Portuguese side reached the Champions League quarter-finals last season and had won five of their six home matches in the competition, setting the stage for another ambitious European campaign.
Galatasaray, meanwhile, will have to regroup quickly. They arrived in Lisbon with a squad containing several high-profile names, including Osimhen, Leroy Sané and Rafael Leão, but the Nigerian striker’s injury kept him out of a match that ultimately exposed some of the Turkish champions’ weaknesses.
Sporting’s 3-1 victory means they begin their Champions League campaign with three points, while Galatasaray leave Lisbon empty-handed. For Osimhen, the disappointment will be even greater as he watched his team lose a game in which his presence could have made a major difference.
The Portuguese side turned an early setback into a statement victory, and Luis Suárez and Rodrigo Zalazar ensured the night ended with Sporting celebrating a memorable Champions League comeback.
