Victor Osimhen: Derby Win Over Besiktas Will Boost Galatasaray Title Push

Victor Osimhen believes Galatasaray’s hard-fought victory over Beşiktaş will provide extra motivation as the club continues its pursuit of a fourth consecutive league title.

The Galatasaray forward scored the decisive goal as the Yellow and Reds secured a 1–0 win against Sergen Yalçın’s side in a keenly contested Istanbul derby on Saturday night.

Osimhen found the breakthrough late in the first half, a strike that ultimately proved enough to secure all three points for the visitors.

Reflecting on the match, the Nigeria national football team striker acknowledged the challenge posed by their city rivals and praised his teammates for their determination.

“We knew it wouldn’t be easy. We expected to play against a tough opponent in front of thousands of fans. We had momentum in the match. We scored a goal. We struggled after the red card. That’s normal when you’re playing against a quality opponent,” Osimhen told the club’s official website.

“I congratulate my teammates for both their endurance and strength. We fought very aggressively until the very end. In that respect, I’m very happy with this victory.”

The striker also highlighted the team’s unity after Leroy Sané was sent off in the 62nd minute, forcing Galatasaray to defend their lead with ten men.

“Yes, of course, first and foremost we need to follow our coach’s instructions. Besides that, there were also players among my teammates who excited and motivated me. After the goal, they called me back to defence. And as I’ve always said, I love this club very much and we are fighting to make our dreams come true,” he added.

Osimhen further expressed pride in the collective spirit within the squad, stressing the importance of unity as the season progresses.

“I am proud of our team. We show great unity in both our away and home games. For this, we need to take it one game at a time and fight for each other.”

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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