By Saheed Afolabi
Victor Osimhen scored from the penalty spot as Galatasaray were held to an exciting 3-3 draw against Dynamo Kyiv in a thrilling Europa League encounter on Tuesday night.
The match started with a bang as Davidson Sanchez gave Galatasaray the lead in the 6th minute, setting the stage for an intense battle between the two sides. In the 21st minute, Abdulkerim Bardakci doubled the home team’s advantage, making it 2-0.
However, Dynamo Kyiv responded just before halftime, with Vladyslav Vanat showing individual brilliance to pull a goal back in the 44th minute, offering his team a glimmer of hope.
After the break, Osimhen restored Galatasaray’s two-goal lead, converting a penalty in the 53rd minute. But Dynamo Kyiv weren’t done yet. Andrii Yarmolenko sparked a late rally, scoring twice in quick succession (68th and 81st minutes) to level the game at 3-3, ensuring a dramatic finish.
Osimhen, who has been in fine form this season, now has four goals in five Europa League appearances. His contribution continues to be crucial for Galatasaray’s European campaign.
With 13 points from seven games, Galatasaray currently sit in fifth place on the Europa League table, keeping their qualification hopes alive as they head into the final matchday.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
