Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen was the hero at Rams Park on Tuesday night as his penalty fires Galatasaray to a 1-0 victory over Premier League champions Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League.

Osimhen smashed home from the spot in the 26th minute after Dominik Szoboszlai struck Barış Alper Yılmaz in the face inside the box.

Read Also: Galatasaray handed Osimhen boost ahead of Liverpool UCL clash

The goal not only sealed a famous win for the Turkish champions but also saw Osimhen become the first Nigerian to reach 10 goals in the Champions League proper, surpassing Obafemi Martins.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot opted for a surprising line-up, deploying Dominik Szoboszlai at full-back and pushing Jeremie Frimpong further forward, while Mohamed Salah was left on the bench.

Despite dominating possession, the Reds failed to break down a disciplined Galatasaray side, with Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz seeing efforts saved by Ugurcan Çakır.

At the other end, Osimhen’s pace unsettled Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté, and the hosts pressed with relentless energy, buoyed by a raucous Istanbul crowd.

The defeat marked back-to-back losses for Liverpool in Europe, raising concerns for Slot, who admitted his side’s performance was as troubling as the result.

For Galatasaray, the win ended a dismal run of one victory in their previous 18 Champions League group games and none in their last seven European ties.

Coach Okan Buruk’s men showed grit and passion to revive their European campaign and hand their fans a night to remember.