Victor Osimhen continued his fine scoring form as Galatasaray beat Konyaspor 4-0 on Friday to strengthen their grip on top spot in the Turkish Süper Lig.
The Nigeria striker scored in the 12th minute to take his league tally to nine goals in eight appearances. The victory came on Matchday 10 and lifted Okan Buruk’s side to 22 points.
Galatasaray have now won eight of their 10 league matches, drawing one and losing one.
The hosts made an early move in the opening minute. Uğurcan dealt with Masuaku’s cross into the penalty area before the defence cleared the danger.
However, Osimhen soon gave Galatasaray the lead. Gabriel Sara delivered a free kick into the box in the 12th minute, and the striker met the cross with a header that found the back of the net.
Galatasaray doubled their advantage in the 28th minute with a well worked corner. Sara passed to Batrakov, who then found Yunus Akgün. The winger struck a powerful shot from outside the penalty area to make it 2-0.
Osimhen came close to adding another goal just before half time. In the 45th minute of added time, he fired from the left side of the penalty area, but the goalkeeper tipped his effort over the bar.
Galatasaray Add Two More Goals After the Break
Galatasaray made it 3-0 four minutes into the second half. Gabriel Sara played the ball to Aleksey Batrakov, who moved into the penalty area and finished past the goalkeeper. It was the Russian’s first league goal.
The visitors then won a penalty after a VAR review. Rafael Leão went down inside the box in the 52nd minute, but referee Cihan Aydın initially awarded a corner. VAR official Alan Kijas advised him to check the incident on the pitchside monitor, and he changed his decision to a penalty.
Leão took the spot kick and scored in the 55th minute. It was his first goal for Galatasaray and completed the 4-0 win.
Osimhen left the pitch in the 61st minute, with Deniz Gül coming on in his place. The striker had five shots, with three on target, and scored once. He also missed two big chances, completed 80 per cent of his passes and recorded 18 touches.
The result was especially significant for Galatasaray after their recent record away to Konyaspor. The Istanbul club had lost four of their previous six visits, including a 2-0 defeat on their most recent trip.
Fellow Nigerian Chidozie Awaziem played the full 90 minutes for Konyaspor. The Super Eagles defender had scored twice in his side’s 2-0 win over Gençlerbirliği in their previous match.
Awaziem recorded two interceptions, three clearances and three recoveries against Galatasaray. He also won three of his four ground duels and two of his three tackles. The defender completed 97 per cent of his passes and made 49 touches.
The appearance was his eighth league game of the season. He has now played a combined 607 minutes in the Turkish top flight.
Galatasaray will next turn their attention to the UEFA Champions League. Buruk’s side are due to host VfB Stuttgart on Tuesday, 3 November.
