Galatasaray captain and goalkeeper Fernando Muslera was full of praise for Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen after his brace secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a resilient Rizespor side.
The Turkish champions were eager to bounce back from their disappointing 4-1 defeat to Feyenoord in the UEFA Europa League and extend their lead at the top of the Super Lig table to six points over José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe.
After a tense and evenly matched first half, the game burst into life just two minutes into the second half. Osimhen broke the deadlock with a well-placed header, putting Galatasaray ahead. However, Nigerian forward David Akintola set up Ali Sowe for an equalizer in the 54th minute, keeping Rizespor in the fight.
With the game heading towards a draw, Osimhen once again rose to the occasion, nodding home a dramatic winner in the 86th minute to secure all three points for his side.
More Read
Amidst the celebrations, Muslera was spotted wearing Osimhen’s signature mask. When asked about it, the Uruguayan shot-stopper explained that it was a gesture of appreciation for the Nigerian’s immense contributions to the team.
“After our fans called me over, I wanted to wear Osimhen’s mask too. He puts in so much effort and fights for every ball. He never gives up. We’re all lucky to play alongside a player with such incredible work ethic and dedication,” Muslera said after the game.
“We knew that by supporting him, something special would happen. Today, he delivered the goals that gave us victory. The second half allowed us to find our rhythm and capitalize on set pieces.”
Osimhen has now scored 19 goals in 24 appearances across all competitions for Galatasaray. The club will be eager to have him back in top form for the second leg of their Europa League Round of 16 playoffs.
© Bold Media Innovations & Creative Hub Limited. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
