Galatasaray secured a crucial victory in the Ziraat Turkish Cup Quarter Finals, defeating arch-rivals Fenerbahçe 2-1 at Ülker Stadium. The victory propelled them into the semi-finals of the competition, with Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen playing a decisive role by scoring both goals.
The match began with high intensity, and it did not take long for Osimhen to make his mark. In the 10th minute, Galatasaray’s Sanchez sent a ball behind the defense, which took a deflection off Çağlar before reaching Osimhen. The forward struck the ball with power as he entered the penalty area, leaving Fenerbahçe goalkeeper İrfan Can helpless and giving Galatasaray a 1-0 lead.
Galatasaray continued to dominate possession and put Fenerbahçe under pressure. In the 14th minute, Osimhen latched onto a long ball and set up Barış Alper, but the latter’s shot was weak and easily gathered by the goalkeeper. However, the pressure paid off again in the 26th minute when Kostić handled the ball in the penalty area. After a VAR review, Galatasaray was awarded a penalty. Osimhen stepped up and confidently converted, despite İrfan Can getting a touch on the ball, doubling Galatasaray’s lead to 2-0.
Just before halftime, Fenerbahçe found a way back into the game under controversial circumstances. In the 45th minute, Talisca sent a pass to Sebastian Szymanski, who was on the verge of offside. The assistant referee initially raised his flag, but after a VAR review, the goal was awarded, making it 2-1.
Despite the contentious decision, Galatasaray held firm in the second half to secure their place in the semi-finals.
Speaking after the match, Victor Osimhen expressed his commitment to the team and his desire to continue performing at a high level.
“We know that Galatasaray – Fenerbahçe matches are intense and difficult matches. It is necessary to focus from the first minute to the ninetieth minute. We were actually optimistic when we came. Unfortunately, we made our fans unhappy last week. We had to play well here to compensate for them. Now we will look at the upcoming matches and progress match by match.”
Osimhen also shared his admiration for the club and the support he has received since joining.
“As I have said in previous interviews, I have really loved this club since I came here. I loved the people here, I loved the fans. I want to reciprocate their love by working hard. My teammates are also very important to me. They always support me. Of course, scoring a goal in the derby was important. If my teammates had not done very important things, I would not have been able to score those goals. I am grateful to them in this regard. I want to continue my performance. I want to do everything I can for the team.”
With this victory, Galatasaray moves forward with confidence, eyeing further success in the Ziraat Turkish Cup.
