Osimhen scores as Galatasaray qualify to the Champions League round of 16
Galatasaray SK advanced to the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) for the first time in 12 years despite losing the second leg of their knockout play-off 3-2 AET, as a 7-5 aggregate defeat sent a 10-man Juventus side out of the competition.
With Juve three goals down after the first leg, the Old Lady had no other option but to start the match with high intensity and a quick tempo. This resulted in a very open beginning to the second leg, which saw big chances for both sides right from the off.
After just two minutes played, a close-range header by Davinson Sánchez forced a smart stop from Mattia Perin to prevent Galatasaray from killing the tie off completely.
Less than 60 seconds later, Federico Gatti was handed a golden opportunity to start the Bianconeri fightback in earnest, but his header from inside the box flashed over the bar when he really should have hit the target.
Teun Koopmeiners was the next Juventus player to steer his header off target from a dangerous position before Perin pulled off an impressive save to deny Victor Osimhen at the other end.
Kenan Yıldız came close at the half-hour mark with a deflected effort, but the Lions had Uğurcan Çakır to thank for a superb save to keep the Turkish outfit in full control of the tie.
With less than 10 minutes remaining of the first half, Juve made a vital breakthrough after being awarded a penalty when Khéphren Thuram was brought down by Lucas Torreira.
Bianconeri captain Manuel Locatelli stepped up to take the spot-kick and made no mistake to find the back of the net and set up a fascinating second half.
However, the Bianconeri’s momentum suddenly deflated within three minutes of the restart in dramatic circumstances after Lloyd Kelly was sent off for a reckless challenge.
The hosts battled bravely and almost scored again when Yıldız fired an effort inches wide of the post.
But Luciano Spalletti’s team refused to give up, and with 20 minutes left, Gatti was in the right place at the right time to roll the ball home inside a fired-up Allianz Stadium.
Gatti celebrates his goal
With time fast running out, a Yıldız strike somehow struck the post from only a few yards out, but the Turkish champions were struggling to withstand the relentless attacks.
Remarkably, in the 82nd minute, the visitors’ defence folded once more and Weston McKennie was on hand to score with a close-range header, levelling the tie on aggregate and forcing extra time.
With both teams visibly exhausted, the Bianconeri still managed to create a clear-cut opportunity in the first half of extra time when the outstanding McKennie unselfishly set up substitute Edon Zhegrova, who fired wide with the goal at his mercy.
This proved to be a very costly miss, as on the stroke of half time, Osimhen found space inside the box and struck the ball through the legs of Perin to notch his seventh UCL goal of the season, silencing the home crowd.
Despite the hosts’ best efforts to save the tie, the Lions ultimately killed the tie off in the closing stages of extra time, as a breakaway resulted in Baris Alper Yilmaz scoring to seal their place in the next round.
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Galatasaray will face either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur in the UCL round of 16, with the draw to be made on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Old Lady must attempt to put this agonising UCL elimination behind them and focus on their Serie A campaign, starting with a trip to AS Roma on Sunday.