Rafael Leao thanks Victor Osimhen for penalty gesture in Galatasaray win

Rafael Leao has thanked Victor Osimhen for allowing him to take the penalty that secured his first goal for Galatasaray in Friday’s 4-0 Turkish Super Lig victory over Konyaspor.

Osimhen handed the ball to Leao after Galatasaray were awarded a spot-kick, giving the Portugal forward the opportunity to open his account for the club.

Speaking to the GS YouTube channel, Leao said Osimhen had recognised his efforts in training and deliberately gave him the chance to score.

“I’m grateful for the moment Osimhen passed me the ball. He knew I’d been working hard and was waiting for a chance to score,” said Leao.

“His second child was born last night, and I’d told him, ‘You need to score two goals.’

“He could have scored the second one himself, but he passed it to me. We have a great team. I’m really happy to have a teammate like that.”

Osimhen had already scored once before the penalty, but chose to let Leao take responsibility from the spot as Galatasaray completed a 4-0 win.

The Nigeria striker said the result reflected Galatasaray’s character and determination, while praising the support they received from their fans.

“I’m very happy with the performance and, most importantly, the victory. We showed character, hunger and determination from the first minute,” Osimhen said after the match.

“Galatasaray are a special club, and playing in front of these incredible supporters gives me extra motivation. I always give everything for this badge.

“We knew Konyaspor wouldn’t make things easy for us, but we controlled the game, took our chances and showed what we’re capable of.

“This team has the quality to achieve something special, and we’re not stopping here. I want to keep scoring, keep winning and make these fans proud.”

The victory gave Galatasaray a convincing result against Konyaspor, while Leao’s penalty provided a personal landmark after Osimhen’s decision to hand him the ball.