Victor Osimhen made a significant impact in his first Intercontinental derby, helping Galatasaray secure a 3-1 victory over fierce rivals Fenerbahce at the Ulker Stadyumu Fenerbahce Sukru Saracoglu Spor Kompleksi on Saturday.
The Nigerian striker, on loan from Napoli, started the match despite the return of Mauro Icardi, and played a pivotal role in Galatasaray's memorable win.
Fenerbahce, led by Jose Mourinho, entered the game with high confidence after three consecutive clean sheets. However, Galatasaray quickly disrupted their rhythm, taking advantage of an early mistake by goalkeeper Dominik Livaković to open the scoring in the 20th minute. Just eight minutes later, Osimhen showcased his intelligence and creativity by assisting former Napoli teammate Dries Mertens for Galatasaray's second goal. Rather than heading a cross on goal, Osimhen cleverly chested the ball down to Mertens, who slotted it home to double the visitors' lead.
Galatasaray continued to assert their dominance as former Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira set up Gabriel Sara for the team's third goal just before the hour mark. Despite a late response from Fenerbahce, with veteran striker Edin Dzeko scoring from the penalty spot, the home side struggled to mount a comeback.
Osimhen’s performance in numbers
Osimhen’s stats reflect a solid overall performance in the derby. He played the full 90 minutes, registered one assist, and had one shot on target and three off target. The Nigerian forward completed 12 of 14 passes, resulting in an 86% pass accuracy, while also making two key passes and creating one big chance. Though he won five of his 15 duels and was fouled twice, Osimhen also contributed defensively with two clearances.
Despite missing a few half chances, the 25-year-old has started his time in Turkey positively, tallying two assists in his first two games. His presence in the Galatasaray attack has already proven to be influential as the champions maintain their perfect start to the Super Lig season, now sitting five points clear at the top of the table.
