Osimhen scores brace in Galatasaray’s dramatic draw against Kasımpaşa

• Osimhen becomes the first player since Bafetimbi Gomis in 2017 to achieve four goal contributions in three games
• Galatasaray striker Osimhen’s brace took his Süper Lig goal tally to two in four appearances
• Galatasaray remains unbeaten but dropped points in a frustrating 3-3 draw

Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen's long-awaited moment finally came through on Saturday, September 28, as the Nigerian striker bagged his first set of goals for Galatasaray in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Kasımpaşa. 

After enduring a frustrating three-game goal drought since his loan move from Napoli, Osimhen lit up RAMS Park with two stunning goals in the opening 30 minutes, giving fans a glimpse of his immense scoring potential in the Turkish Super Lig.

Osimhen broke the deadlock in the 20th minute with a powerful header, finishing a pinpoint cross from Abdulkerim Bardakci to score his first for the club. In a clear display of relief, he celebrated by showing off a Galatasaray jersey with “finally” written on it celebrating the end of his goal drought. As if that was not enough, just eight minutes later, Osimhen completed a brace with a volley from a brilliant Gabriel Sara pass, reminding fans why he remains one of Europe’s deadliest strikers.

The brace also earned him a place in the record books as he became the first player since Bafetimbi Gomis in 2017 to contribute four or more goals in his first three Süper Lig games, according to OPTA. Galatasaray continued to put in the pressure, and Mauro Icardi made it 3-0 by expertly slotting home in the 34th minute.

Osimhen’s chemistry with Icardi was soothing as he mimicked the Argentine’s celebration, indicating a promising partnership between the two forwards. 

However, what seemed like a comfortable lead soon faded into thin air. Mamadou Fall gave Kasımpaşa hope with a goal just before halftime, and late strikes from Haris Hajradinovic and Nuno Da Costa completed a stunning comeback in stoppage time, leaving the home fans stunned.

The Nigerian striker’s night was cut short just before halftime when he called for a substitution due to a suspected hamstring injury. Dries Mertens replaced him, raising concerns about Osimhen's fitness ahead of key fixtures. 

Osimhen later assured fans that his injury wasn’t serious, saying, 

“My injury is not serious… I thought I should tell the coach. That’s why I left the game.”

Galatasaray will hope to have him fit for their upcoming UEFA Europa League match against Rigas FS on Thursday and a crucial Turkish Super Lig clash with Alayanspor on Sunday. Osimhen is also expected to feature for the Super Eagles in the AFCON qualifiers against Libya next month.

After the match, Osimhen took to social media to express his joy, 

“It was a great honour to score two goals in today’s match… I’m sure we will come back stronger as a team.”

Osimhen becomes most-followed Nigerian footballer on IG, here are the 9 most followed after him

Previously, TheRadar reported that Osimhen’s growing social media presence can be attributed to his electrifying performances for his new club, especially his assist run in his last three games. 

After his record-setting loan move to Galatasaray, Osimhen’s follower count surged dramatically, proving his growing popularity among fans around the world. Within two weeks of the transfer, the 25-year-old saw his Instagram followers increase by 848,000, making him Nigeria’s leading most-followed personality in football.