Victor Osimhen’s long-awaited return to action ended on a sour note as Galatasaray suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Gençlerbirliği, crashing out of the Turkish Cup at the quarter-final stage.
The Nigerian striker, who had been sidelined for over a month due to injury, was named on the bench for the clash at Rams Park and made his comeback in the second half. However, his presence was not enough to rescue Okan Buruk’s side from an early exit in a competition they had previously dominated.
Galatasaray started brightly and controlled large spells of the encounter, but they struggled to convert their chances against a disciplined Gençlerbirliği defence. The visitors remained compact and patient, frustrating the hosts throughout the first half.
Despite several attacking changes after the break, including the introduction of Osimhen, Galatasaray failed to find the cutting edge in front of goal. Their vulnerability was eventually punished late in the game when Gençlerbirliği struck decisively, sealing a famous victory to book their place in the semi-finals.
Osimhen’s return had been highly anticipated following an arm injury that kept him out of action for weeks, with the Super Eagles forward only recently resuming full training ahead of the tie. His introduction was expected to inject life into Galatasaray’s attack, but the Turkish champions lacked cohesion in the final third.
The defeat brings an abrupt end to Galatasaray’s impressive run in the competition, having gone unbeaten in their previous ten Turkish Cup matches before this loss.
Head coach Okan Buruk will now turn his attention to the league title race, with a crucial fixture against rivals Fenerbahçe looming. Osimhen is expected to play a bigger role in that encounter as he continues his recovery and works toward full match fitness.
For now, though, what was meant to be a positive night marking the striker’s return has instead raised fresh concerns about Galatasaray’s consistency in decisive moments.
