Victor Osimhen delivered a superb assist as Galatasaray stunned Liverpool 1–0 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash on Tuesday night in Istanbul.
The Turkish champions struck early in the encounter, capitalising on a seventh-minute corner that caught the English side off guard.
Mario Lemina nodded home the seventh-minute winner — the 10th goal Arne Slot’s side have conceded from corners this season.
Osimhen rose highest inside the box to head the ball back across goal, where midfielder Lemina reacted quickly to glance another header past the goalkeeper and give Galatasaray the lead.
Slot’s 100th match as Liverpool manager ended in defeat as Galatasaray capitalised on a sloppy display to take a narrow advantage from a deafening night at RAMS Park.
It was Lemina’s first goal of the season. Interestingly, five years ago, he scored a winner at Liverpool for Fulham in a Premier League encounter.
Galatasaray nearly extended their lead in the 63rd minute when Osimhen found the back of the net, but the effort was ruled out after he was adjudged offside in the build-up.
Liverpool believed they had equalised in the 70th minute when the ball was bundled over the line from Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner.
However, the goal was ruled out following a lengthy VAR review after it was determined that the ball struck Ibrahima Konaté’s arm twice, first from the corner delivery and again after it ricocheted off Virgil van Dijk’s heel.
The Premier League champions arrived in Turkey hoping to spark a turnaround in what has been a disappointing second season under Slot, but instead returned home with their second defeat of the campaign at the intimidating RAMS Park.
The result leaves Liverpool trailing ahead of next Wednesday’s decisive return leg at Anfield.
