By Amofokhai Williams
Galatasaray delivered a stunning upset in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie, defeating Liverpool 1-0 at a raucous Rams Park in Istanbul on March 10, 2026.
The Turkish champions took a vital advantage into the return leg at Anfield, thanks to an early goal set up by star striker Victor Osimhen.
The decisive moment arrived in the 7th minute. Gabriel Sara delivered a corner kick from the left, and Osimhen rose powerfully to meet it with a strong header.
His effort directed the ball toward the six-yard box, where midfielder Mario Lemina applied a clever glancing header to divert it past Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
The goal, credited to Lemina with Osimhen providing the assist, stunned the visitors and ignited the home crowd.
Osimhen, the Nigerian forward who has been in scintillating form this season, was a constant menace.
He nearly added to the lead on several occasions, including a header that went wide and a later effort ruled out for offside in the 63rd minute.
His physical presence, aerial ability, and link-up play troubled Liverpool’s defense throughout, even as the Reds pushed for an equalizer.
Liverpool, under manager Arne Slot, who was marking his 100th match in charge, struggled to find rhythm. Despite late chances, including a long-range effort from Cody Gakpo that narrowly missed and a close-range header from Hugo Ekitike that sailed over, they failed to test Galatasaray goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir sufficiently.
A potential equalizer from Ibrahima Konate in the 72nd minute was chalked off after VAR review for handball, further frustrating the English side.
This result echoes Galatasaray‘s earlier league-phase victory over Liverpool, underlining their ability to perform in big European nights at home.
Osimhen’s influence has been pivotal, with his assist adding to his impressive Champions League tally this campaign.
