A stoppage time Victor Osimhen goal spared Galatasaray’s blushes against newly promoted Corum, after the Super Lig champions came within minutes of a shock opening day defeat.
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Nigeria international Victor Osimhen scored twice as Galatasaray came from behind to draw 2-2 with newly promoted Corum on the opening weekend of the Turkish Super Lig season, Complete Sports reports.
Galatasaray went into the match as clear favourites but were nearly stunned by their debutant opponents, needing a 90th-minute Osimhen goal to salvage a point after Corum had twice taken the lead.
A Nervy Afternoon For The Champions
Osimhen broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute to put Galatasaray 1-0 up, only for Corum, playing in the Super Lig for the first time in the club’s history, to level through Alexandros Kyziridis just six minutes later. Corum then went ahead through Jesus Ramirez, putting the reigning champions in real danger of an opening day upset.
The game turned in Galatasaray’s favour in the 70th minute when Kyziridis, the earlier equaliser scorer, was shown a straight red card. Galatasaray pressed with their numerical advantage and were rewarded in stoppage time when Osimhen struck again to complete his brace and secure a 2-2 draw.
Arsenal Links Continue
Osimhen’s bright start to the season comes amid continued transfer speculation, with the 2023 African Footballer of the Year strongly linked with a move away from Istanbul this summer. Premier League champions Arsenal remain among his most prominent suitors, with reports suggesting Osimhen’s availability has come up in wider talks between Arsenal and Galatasaray over the Turkish club’s interest in Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri. Galatasaray have reportedly offered £38.4 million for Martinelli and have also shown interest in Nwaneri, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Marseille.
📌 Did You Know?
- Corum’s promotion to the Super Lig this season marked the club’s first ever appearance in Turkey’s top flight.
- Osimhen’s brace against Corum came in his first competitive league match of the 2026/27 season, following a summer dominated by transfer speculation.
- Galatasaray enter the season as reigning Super Lig champions, having won back to back titles under Osimhen’s goals.
- Osimhen was named African Footballer of the Year in 2023 while still at Napoli, before his move to Galatasaray.
- Arsenal’s reported interest in Osimhen comes as the Premier League champions continue searching for attacking reinforcements after missing out on other high profile targets this summer.
- Galatasaray’s reported £38.4 million offer for Gabriel Martinelli would represent a major statement of intent in a transfer saga that has become increasingly tied to Osimhen’s own situation.
- Ethan Nwaneri, one of the players in Galatasaray’s parallel interest, became Arsenal’s youngest ever player when he debuted at 15 years and 181 days old in 2022.