Osimhen’s Dramatic Double Wins It 3–2 for Galatasaray Against Samsunspor

Victor Osimhen delivered a late-game spectacle as Galatasaray edged Samsunspor 3–2 in a pulsating Turkish Süper Lig encounter at RAMS Park.

The hosts burst out of the blocks Leroy Sané opened the scoring in the 8th minute. Then, in the 29th minute, Osimhen supplied by Sané doubled the lead, arriving just before halftime with a composed finish.

But Samsunspor refused to go quietly. Anthony Musaba pulled one back in the 56th minute and, deep into the final minutes, Emre Kilinç curled home an equaliser to level at 2–2 and set up a dramatic finish.

With the match heading for a draw, Osimhen rose to the moment unleashing a spectacular bicycle kick in stoppage time to restore Galatasaray’s lead and send the crowd into raptures.

The win ends a mini-slump for the champions and reinforces Galatasaray’s position at the top of the table (36 points from 15 games), while Samsunspor stay fifth with 25 points from the same number of matches.

For Osimhen, it was more than just a brace it was a statement. At 26, he continues to lead from the front, reminding everyone of his value whenever the pressure rises.

Editorial

There are goals. And then there are moments that redefine a season. Osimhen’s bicycle-kick winner down in the dying embers of a tense RAMS Park thriller was both. It was artistry borne of necessity a reminder not simply that he can score, but that when the air tastes of defeat, he summons something unearthly.

Galatasaray’s victory was never safe. Samsunspor’s fightback, led by Musaba and sealed by Kilinç, exposed cracks. And yet, under the sparkling floodlights, in the cold air that dripped with expectation, Osimhen found the space, the leap, the rhythm and delivered. The stadium did not simply erupt it exhaled in collective relief.

This is what separation of men from boys looks like. Leroy Sané’s early influence was textbook the midfield’s probing passes, the wingers’ activity the first half read like classical Galatasaray. But second-half frailties, defensive indecisions, a wavering back line threatened it all. In that context, Osimhen’s brilliance wasn’t a luxury it was insurance.

There is a broader narrative at stake. In a league tightening under pressure from expectations, from rivals, from the weight of history Galatasaray need their talisman. Not just to score. But to carry the mood, to lift the belief, to remind everyone why they remain champions. Osimhen’s late drama becomes a flicker of promise clubs chasing the crown should take note.

But let us not lionise without perspective. Spectacle does not guarantee consistency. The defence must steel itself, the coaching staff must steady nerves, and the squad must acknowledge when brilliance saves you, responsibility follows. The Turkish title is not won in November but this night, Osimhen made clear that if there is to be a champion, he intends to be the difference.

Did You Know?

1. Victor Osimhen became the first Nigerian to score a bicycle-kick match-winner in the Turkish Süper Lig with this goal.
2. Before arriving at Galatasaray, Osimhen set the record for the most goals in a single season for SSC Napoli (for a Nigerian), scoring 26 league goals in 2022–23.
3. Osimhen’s 2025 winner marks his 50th career club goal scored via either a header or an overhead/kick-assisted finish.
4. Samsunspor hadn’t trailed at halftime in any of their previous five away league matches until this game.
5. Galatasaray have now won each of the last four matches in which Osimhen scored a brace (across all competitions) in the 2025–26 season.