The famous Istanbul roar was in full voice as Galatasaray stunned Liverpool 1-0 at Rams Park. Victor Osimhen’s ice-cool first-half penalty gave the Turkish champions a statement win in the UEFA Champions League, while the Reds’ miserable record in Turkey continued.
Key Insights
- Liverpool’s Turkish Curse Continues – The Reds remain winless in all six of their away games against Turkish clubs in European competition (D1 L5).
- Galatasaray Finally Shut the Door – This was Gala’s first clean sheet in European competition after 24 matches, their last shutout coming in August 2023.
- Away-Day Struggles for Liverpool – Liverpool have now lost five of their last eight away games in all competitions (W3).
Match Commentary
Galatasaray fed off the energy of Rams Park and started with fire, pressing Liverpool’s makeshift backline hard. Their reward came in the 16th minute when Osimhen coolly converted from the spot after a handball was spotted following a VAR check.
The Reds dominated possession (69%) but couldn’t find the breakthrough. Curtis Jones, Cody Gakpo, and substitute Mohamed Salah all went close, but Galatasaray’s defense, led by Bardakcı and Sánchez, stood firm. Goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır produced several key saves to deny Liverpool late on.
In a gritty second half, tempers flared with multiple bookings, but the Turkish giants refused to break. The final whistle sparked wild celebrations, as Galatasaray sealed a famous win that breathes life into their Champions League campaign.
Team Stats
- Shots: Galatasaray 9 – 16 Liverpool
- Shots on Target: 4 – 4
- Possession: 32% – 68%
- Passes: 286 – 528
- Pass Accuracy: 67% – 88%
- Fouls: 12 – 14
- Yellow Cards: 5 – 3
- Corners: 3 – 7
Lineups
Galatasaray (4-2-3-1): Çakır; Singo, Sánchez, Bardakcı, Jakobs; Torreira, Lemina; Y. Akgün, Gündoğan, B. Yılmaz; Osimhen.
Subs: Icardi, Sané, Kutlu, Elmalı, Sara, Demir, Ayhan, Günay, Ünay.
Manager: Okan Buruk.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konaté, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Frimpong; Jones, Wirtz, Gakpo; Højlund.
Subs: Salah, Isak, Mac Allister, Gomez, Endō, Robertson, Woodman, Ngumoha, Bradley.
Manager: Arne Slot.
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