Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen made an immediate impact on the opening day of the new Süper Lig season, scoring twice as defending champions Galatasaray were held to a 2-2 draw by newly promoted Çorum at RAMS Park.
Galatasaray entered the 2026/27 campaign as overwhelming favourites, having won the Turkish title last season and boasting a squad considerably stronger than their newly promoted opponents.
|
|
The hosts dominated the early stages and controlled possession in midfield, while Osimhen immediately positioned himself inside the box, waiting for opportunities to make his mark.
Abdülkerim Bardakcı had the first clear opportunity of the contest when he connected with a corner, but the defender could not keep his header on target.
|
|
|
|---|
Osimhen came close in the 15th minute after rising above his marker to meet a cross with a powerful header, only for his effort to drift narrowly wide.
The Nigerian forward remained a constant threat throughout the opening half, repeatedly demanding the ball despite receiving limited service.
He eventually managed an effort from the edge of the box in the 25th minute, but Çorum goalkeeper Marcos Felipe comfortably dealt with the shot.
Neither side could break the deadlock before the interval, setting up a fascinating second half.
Osimhen breaks the deadlock
Galatasaray returned from the break with greater attacking intent and were rewarded in the 53rd minute.
Osimhen finally found the breakthrough after being played through by Lucas Torreira. With goalkeeper Marcos Felipe advancing from his line, the Nigerian striker showed composure to chip the ball over him delicately and into the net to put Galatasaray 1-0 ahead.
However, the champions’ advantage lasted just six minutes as Çorum responded spectacularly when Alexandros Kyziridis unleashed a long-range effort that found the back of the net to level the contest.
The visitors then completed a remarkable turnaround just two minutes later after Jesús Ramírez capitalised on a defensive mistake from Davinson Sánchez to give Çorum a 2-1 lead.
Galatasaray were handed a major boost in the 70th minute when Kyziridis was sent off for a reckless challenge on Yunus Akgün.
With the home side desperate to rescue something from the contest, Okan Buruk turned to his bench, introducing İlkay Gündoğan, Eren Elmalı and Kaan Ayhan in an attempt to inject fresh energy into the attack.
Osimhen rescues Galatasaray
The pressure finally told in the 90th minute as Gabriel Sara delivered a dangerous corner into the box and Osimhen rose highest to power a header into the bottom-left corner, completing his brace and restoring parity at 2-2.
Galatasaray had seven minutes of additional time to find a winner, but Çorum held firm.
Goalkeeper Marcos Felipe was particularly impressive, producing a series of crucial saves to frustrate the champions and preserve a valuable point for the visitors.
The final whistle confirmed a thrilling 2-2 draw at RAMS Park, leaving Galatasaray with plenty to ponder after a disappointing start to their title defence despite Osimhen’s heroics.
Galatasaray face early warning
The result represents a major setback for Galatasaray, particularly with Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor among the teams expected to challenge for the title this season.
READ ALSO: World Cup, AFCON, Blord-VeryDarkMan feud top Nigerians’ Google searches in 2026
The champions were vulnerable defensively throughout the contest and could arguably have conceded more than twice had Çorum been more clinical.
While Osimhen’s brace rescued a point, Galatasaray will need to improve significantly if they are to defend their Süper Lig crown successfully.
Their next opportunity to respond comes away against another newly promoted side, Erzurumspor.
Galatasaray will be expected to return to winning ways in that encounter. Still, their opening-day struggles against Çorum have already provided an early warning that retaining the title will not be straightforward.
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
