The suspension of Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, proved costly for Galatasaray as the Turkish side suffered a 4-1 defeat to AZ Alkmaar in their Europa League first leg playoff clash on Thursday.
Osimhen’s suspension was a result of his third yellow card of the Europa league season, which he received in Galatasaray’s 2-1 loss to Ajax. Despite his impressive form in the continental tournament, Osimhen was forced to sit out the crucial encounter against AZ Alkmaar.
In Osimhen’s absence, Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk opted to start January signing Alvaro Morata up front as the experienced Spanish striker was tasked with leading the line for the Turkish giants.
The game began brightly for AZ Alkmaar, as Sven Mijnan’s stunning free kick gave the home side the lead. However, Galatasaray equalized less than ten minutes later through Rolland Sallai’s effort.
More Read
AZ Alkmaar regained the lead in the 36th minute, as Troy Parrott expertly converted a penalty kick after Burak Yilmaz was deemed to have committed a foul inside the box, giving the home the side an advantage going into half time.
Galatasaray’s woes continued in the second half, as Kaan Ayhan received his second booking of the game, resulting in a red card. The numerical disadvantage proved costly, as AZ Alkmaar capitalized on the situation. Jordie Clasie scored in the 53rd minute, extending AZ Alkmaar’s lead and the home side sealed the win in the 66th minute, as David Møller Wolfe scored to make it 4-1.
The heavy defeat leaves Galatasaray facing an uphill battle in the second leg, which is scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 20 at the Rams Global Stadyumu.
However, the return of Victor Osimhen from suspension is expected to provide a significant boost to the team’s chances. Galatasaray supporters will be hoping that the Nigerian International can inspire the team to a remarkable comeback, as they seek to overcome the 4-1 deficit and advance to the next round despite how tough the task seems.
© 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.
