Nigerian International, Victor Osimhen scored a brace on Wednesday night to break Turkish football’s single-season record for most goals by a foreign player as Galatasaray lifted the Turkish Cup with an emphatic 3-0 victory over rivals, Trabzonspor
The on loan Striker from Napoli of Italy had entered the Cup final at the Gaziantep Stadium with 33 goals in all competitions, just one shy of Mario Jardel’s long-standing record of 34 goals in a single season by a foreign player, set in the 2000/01 campaign.
Expectedly, he equalled and then surpassed the record with strikes in the 46th and 63rd minutes, bringing his tally to 35 goals in 38 appearances during a landmark debut season in Turkey.
The Istanbul giants romped into an early lead through Barış Alper Yılmaz, who finished off a fine team move in the 5th minute following an incisive pass from Yunus Akgün.
Interestingly, this early strike set the tone for a dominant and exciting performance from Okan Buruk’s side as they did not looked in danger despite a few speculative efforts from Trabzonspor’s Anthony Nwakaeme and Ozan Tufan in the first 45 minutes of play.
Dusting off series of missed opportunities, Osimhen doubled Galatasaray’s lead just a minute into the second half. Perfectly timing his run, he latch onto a through ball from Yılmaz, shielding the ball from his marker before firing a low shot past Trabzonspor goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır.
Osimhen’s second goal arrived about 15 minutes later following a recycled corner after Yunus Akgün found space on the right to deliver a precise pass into the opponents’ box.
In his usual unstoppable pointman style, the gangling Nigerian forward expertly controlled and curled the ball into the top corner, sparking wild celebrations among Galatasaray fans.
The impressive victory not only saw Galatasaray lifting their sixth Turkish Cup since 2000 but also climbed up the club’s list of all-time foreign goal scorers.
Having now surpassed Mario Jardel, the Super Eagles’ Star is closing in on the top ranks in Turkish football. Romanian legend Gheorghe Hagi remains the leading foreign scorer with 72 goals.
The final whistle confirmed Galatasaray as Turkish Cup champions for a record 19th time, further cementing their status as the most successful side in the competition’s history, ahead of Beşiktaş (11), Trabzonspor (9), and Fenerbahçe (7).
Firmly securing the cup in their kitty, attention now turns to Galatasaray completing a domestic double when they host Kayserispor on Sunday.
A win would confirm their 25th league title and their first double since the 1998/99 season.
Aside ending Galatasaray’s five-season drought in Türkiye’s domestic cup competition, the final marked the fourth Turkish Cup showdown between them and Trabzonspor with Galatasaray having the upper hand securing three victories in those encounters.
Both sides previously met in the finals of the 1975–76, 1984–85, and 1994–95 seasons. While Galatasaray emerged victorious in 1976 on penalties and again in 1985 with a win and a draw, Trabzonspor claimed the 1995 title with two straight wins.
Following Wednesday’s 3-0 outstanding victory, Galatasaray now leads the head-to-head in Turkish Cup finals 3-1.
