Victor Osimhen’s first-half penalty proved decisive as Galatasaray edged Liverpool 1-0 at a raucous Rams Park, earning their first points of this season’s UEFA Champions League and condemning the Reds to back-to-back defeats in all competitions.
Coming off their first Premier League loss of the campaign at Crystal Palace, Liverpool faced another stern test in Istanbul’s intense atmosphere. The warning signs arrived early as Barış Yılmaz broke clear, only for Alisson to stand tall in a one-on-one. The reprieve was brief. Moments after Cody Gakpo saw an effort cleared off the line, Yılmaz was felled by makeshift right back Dominik Szoboszlai inside the area. Osimhen, so often a scourge of English sides, smashed his penalty straight down the middle for his sixth goal in as many matches against Premier League opposition.
Liverpool sought a swift response through Florian Wirtz, whose curling effort drew a flying save from Uğurcan Çakır, but an error-strewn first half left Arne Slot’s men trailing at the break. Their night worsened soon after the restart when Osimhen pounced on a loose pass and forced Alisson into another sharp stop, one that ended the Brazilian’s evening through injury. Replacement goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was introduced for his Champions League debut, shortly before Slot turned to his bench again, sending on Alexander Isak, Conor Bradley and Mohamed Salah in search of an equaliser.
Galatasaray’s resolute defence, marshalled superbly by Davinson Sánchez and Wilfried Singo, frustrated Liverpool throughout. Late drama seemed inevitable when referee Clément Turpin awarded a penalty for handball against Singo, only for VAR to overturn the call. Despite eight minutes of added time, the visitors could not break through, leaving Istanbul empty-handed once more.
The result extends Liverpool’s winless run in away meetings with Galatasaray to three matches and heaps pressure on Slot ahead of a testing weekend trip to Chelsea. For the Turkish champions, this was a night to savour, a disciplined, defiant performance crowned by Osimhen’s clinical touch.
