By Akinwale Kasali
After Six years of waiting, Nigeria Super Eagles prolific striker, Victor Osimhen, has helped his Turkish Club Side, Galatasaray, lift the Coveted Turkish Cup with a brace in their 3-0 triumph over Trabzonspor at the Gazientep Stadium, Turkey.
Osimhen also broke the Turkish football’s single-season record for most goals by a foreign player set by Mario Jardel’s long-standing record of 34 goals in a single season by a foreign player, set in the 2000/01 campaign.
The Nigerian lethal striker with his brace have broken the 24 year old record by scoring 35 goals in 39 matches in a competition for Galatasaray.
The loanee from Napoli equalled and then surpassed the record with strikes in the 46th and 63rd minutes, bringing his tally to 35 goals in 39 appearances during a landmark debut season in Turkey.
Galatasaray took an early lead through Barış Alper Yılmaz, who finished off a fine team move in the fifth minute following an incisive pass from Yunus Akgün.
The goal set the tone for a dominant performance from Okan Buruk’s side, who never looked in danger despite a few speculative efforts from Trabzonspor’s Nigerian export, Anthony Nwakaeme and Ozan Tufan in the first half.
After a series of missed chances, Osimhen doubled Galatasaray’s lead just a minute into the second half. The striker timed his run perfectly to latch onto a through ball from Yılmaz, shielding the ball from his marker before firing a low shot past Trabzonspor goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır.
His second came just over 15 minutes later. Following a recycled corner, Yunus Akgün found space on the right to deliver a precise pass into the box, where Osimhen expertly controlled and curled the ball into the top corner, sparking wild celebrations among Galatasaray fans.
With the brace, Osimhen not only helped Galatasaray lift their sixth Turkish Cup since 2000 but also climbed up the club’s list of all-time foreign goalscorers.
With the triumph, Galatasaray is set to complete a domestic double when they host Kayserispor on Sunday, having lead the summit with an eight point lead over Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce.
A win would confirm their 25th league title and their first double since the 1998/99 season.
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