Liverpool’s difficult week continued as they suffered their second consecutive defeat, falling 1-0 to Galatasaray in a dramatic Champions League group stage clash in Istanbul. The decisive moment came in the first half when a penalty from Nigerian star Victor Osimhen proved to be enough to hand Arne Slot’s men a limp defeat.
The result marks a major setback for the Reds, who were hoping to bounce back quickly after their Premier League loss to Crystal Palace just days earlier.
Osimhen Penalty UCL Decides Contest
The pivotal goal arrived in the 15th minute. Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai was penalized for tripping Baris Yilmaz inside the box. Victor Osimhen, who has now become the first Nigerian player to score 10 goals in the Champions League proper, calmly converted the penalty, squeezing the shot past Alisson Becker.
The match was filled with drama, particularly late in the game when Liverpool thought they had earned a second penalty opportunity. Referee Clément Turpin pointed to the spot, but after a VAR check and review at the pitch-side monitor, he controversially reversed the decision, ruling that Ibrahima Konaté had not been fouled.
Data Debrief: A Historic Night for Gala
The victory was massive for Galatasaray, ending their longest-ever winless home run (eight games) in the European Cup/Champions League.
For Liverpool, the loss is compounding, not only marking their second defeat in four days but also extending their winless streak in three away trips to the Turkish side. Adding injury to insult, goalkeeper Alisson Becker was forced off after being hurt while making a save against Osimhen.
The result puts immense pressure on Arne Slot as the team faces consecutive losses and the formidable challenge of regrouping quickly in what has become a very turbulent start to their UCL campaign.
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