On a night of high stakes in the Istanbul derby, Victor Osimhen scored on his 50th Turkish Super Lig appearance to help Galatasaray secure a crucial win and move closer to the league title.
A 3-0 victory over fierce rivals Fenerbahce at RAMS Park not only settled the latest chapter of the Istanbul derby, but stretched Galatasaray’s lead at the top to seven points with just three games remaining.
Galatasaray came in with a four-point cushion, knowing defeat would cut that advantage to one. Fenerbahce had the first big chance to shift the momentum when they were awarded a penalty in the 11th minute.
But Anderson Talisca sent his effort wide a miss that would linger as the game unfolded.
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Mario Lemina threaded a pass into space, and Osimhen did the rest muscling past defenders, reacting quickest to the loose ball, and finishing instinctively in the 40th minute to ignite the home crowd.
It was his 20th goal of the season and his 39th in the league since his arrival.
The second half carried drama. Galatasaray were awarded a penalty just after the hour mark, but the moment turned chaotic when Fenerbahce goalkeeper Ederson delayed the restart and was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
Amid the confusion, Baris Alper Yilmaz stepped up and converted, driving the ball home to make it 2-0 and effectively end the contest.
With the numerical advantage and momentum firmly in their favour, Galatasaray took full control.
Lucas Torreira added a third in the 83rd minute, sealing a result that felt as significant as it was emphatic.
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The win moves Galatasaray seven points clear, leaving them on the verge of a fourth consecutive league title.
Victory in their next outing against Samsunspor would be enough to confirm it.
