Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen was denied a goal by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) as Barcelona came from behind to defeat Galatasaray 4-1 in their UEFA Champions League encounter in Istanbul on Tuesday.
Osimhen appeared to have doubled Galatasaray’s advantage in the 34th minute after rising to meet a corner kick with a powerful header. His effort was redirected into the net by teammate Barış Alper Yılmaz, sparking celebrations among the home supporters.
However, the celebrations were short-lived as a VAR review ruled out the goal for offside, leaving Galatasaray with a narrow lead against the Spanish giants.
The Turkish side had taken the lead in the 28th minute through Aleksey Batrakov, whose effort from inside the penalty area deflected off Barcelona defender João Cancelo before finding the back of the net.
Barcelona capitalised on the reprieve and restored parity shortly before half-time. In the 43rd minute, Dani Olmo played a pass into Cancelo’s path, allowing the Portuguese defender to finish confidently past goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır.
Barcelona Turn the Game Around After Half-Time
The visitors returned for the second half with greater attacking intensity and took the lead five minutes after the restart.
Lamine Yamal delivered an inviting cross into the penalty area, which Fermín López met with a header to put Barcelona ahead in the 50th minute.
Three minutes later, Yamal produced an impressive individual move before setting up Anthony Gordon, who fired home to extend the visitors’ advantage to 3-1.
Barcelona continued to dominate proceedings, and substitute Karim Adeyemi completed the scoring in the 65th minute. Gabriel Jesus was involved in the move, with the ball falling kindly for Adeyemi to finish from inside the penalty area.
Despite Galatasaray’s promising start, the hosts struggled to contain Barcelona’s attacking threats after the break, allowing the visitors to secure a comfortable victory.
Osimhen and Galatasaray Face More Pressure
The disallowed goal proved a significant moment in the contest, as Galatasaray were denied the opportunity to establish a two-goal cushion before Barcelona began their comeback.
For Osimhen, the decision was a frustrating setback in a match where Galatasaray had briefly threatened to take control. The Nigerian forward had been involved in the move that appeared to produce the hosts’ second goal, but VAR ultimately ruled it out.
The victory gave Barcelona six points from their opening two Champions League league-phase matches, following their 5-1 win over Feyenoord in their opening fixture.
Barcelona are scheduled to face Paris Saint-Germain in their next European outing on October 20, while Galatasaray will travel to face Lille on October 21 as they seek their first victory in the competition’s league phase.
The result leaves Galatasaray reflecting on a missed opportunity, while Barcelona will take confidence from their second-half comeback and another important European victory.
