Man-of-the-match Osimhen Fires Galatasaray Past PAOK

*Dele-Bashiru involved in Lazio’s emphatic defeat of Dynamo Kyiv

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Victor Osimhen continued his beautiful run with Galatasaray last night as the Turkish giants defeated PAOK FC of Greece 3-1 in the first round of the newly-formatted UEFA Europa League.

What was to be Osimhen’s first official goal for Galatasaray after contributing two assists in previous Turkish Lig games, was however turned into an own goal by PAOK’s Ghanaian defender, Abdul Rahman Baba.

After a first half that was largely dominated by Galatasaray, the second half resumed on almost same pace with the Turkish side on the offensive.

Three minutes into the restart, Osimhen’s header from a corner kick heading towards goal was inadvertently redirected past PAOK’s goalkeeper Kotarski by a distraught Baba Rahman thereby denying the Nigerian striker his first goal in the colours of Galatasaray.

Before that goal, Osimhen had missed by inches barely 20 seconds into the first half, a chance to score as his heading went over the crossbar.

In the 67th minute, PAOK’s Giannis Konstantelias, who had fumbled a clear chance earlier atoned for his miss to cancel Galatasaray’s lead. He was in the right place at the right time to equalise after Jonny’s cross-shot had kindly rebounded into his path via Günay Güvenç’s glove.

Galatasaray however needed just nine minutes to restore their lead as Osimhen’s second-headed assist of the evening allowed Yunus Akgünto fiercely fire the ball beyond Kotarski.

Galatasaray would remain relatively untroubled until the final whistle, with substitute Mauro Icardiexquisitely side-footing in a third goal deep into injury time.

The Süper Lig leaders can be considered certainties to progress to the knockout stages considering they have lost only once in 13 previous UEL group-stage encounters (W8, D4). Meanwhile, PAOK’s dismal run in the competition continues after only a solitary success in their last 11 matches (D3, L7).

Elsewhere, another Nigerian international, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, was also directly involved in Lazio’s 3-0 defeat of hosts Dynamo Kyiv.

First, Fisayo Dele-Bashirupowered a superb finish into the top corner from Matías Vecino’s defence-spitting pass, before Dia added his second of the evening with a close-range header.

The hosts desperately tried to pull a goal back before HT, but Ivan Provedel stood firm in the Lazio goal to thwart Volodymyr Brazhko and Andriy Yarmolenko.

Earlier in the fifth minute, Senegalese forward, Boulaye Dia, scored Lazio opening goal.

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