Galatasaray striker, Victor Osimhen, scored the decisive goal for his team as they eliminated Juventus from the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Galatasaray withstood a fierce Juventus comeback in Turin to reach the UEFA Champions League round of 16, edging their playoff tie 7-5 on aggregate despite a 3-2 defeat after extra time in the second leg at Allianz Stadium.
Juventus entered the night needing at least a three-goal victory to overturn a 5-2 first-leg deficit and quickly set about the task. The hosts were rewarded in the first half when Manuel Locatelli put them in front from the penalty spot in the 37th minute, giving the Italian side a foothold in the tie and lifting the home crowd.
Galatasaray, however, responded early in the second half.
Lloyd Kelly, already under pressure as part of a Juventus back line tasked with keeping the visitors quiet, turned into an unfortunate protagonist when he was sent off, leaving Juve with 10 men.
Galatasaray capitalised on the numerical advantage almost immediately, as Lloyd Kelly’s dismissal preceded a key momentum shift.
The visitors equalized through Lloyd Kelly’s own-goal credited as a Galatasaray strike in the 49th minute, restoring their aggregate cushion and briefly quieting the stadium.
Despite being down a player, Juventus refused to concede the tie.
Federico Gatti reignited belief with a goal in the 70th minute, pushing Juventus 2-1 ahead on the night and narrowing the aggregate gap.
The pressure intensified on Galatasaray as the Italian side poured forward, with Kenan Yildiz striking the post in regulation time, inches away from putting Juventus level in the overall score.
As the tension mounted, Weston McKennie delivered another crucial moment for Juventus.
The midfielder scored in the 82nd minute to make it 3-1 on the night, bringing the aggregate score to 6-5 in Galatasaray’s favor and sending the tie into extra time. For a team reduced to 10 men, Juventus had produced a relentless surge that had the visitors hanging on.
In extra time, Galatasaray’s numerical superiority and fresher legs began to tell.
Victor Osimhen, a constant threat in attack, delivered the decisive blow in first-half stoppage time of extra time, scoring in the 105th minute plus one to cut Juventus’ lead on the night to 3-2 and extend Galatasaray’s aggregate advantage.
With Juventus needing two more goals in the remaining minutes, spaces opened up as they pushed forward.
Galatasaray managed the game more calmly in the second period of extra time, keeping possession when possible and limiting Juventus’ ability to counter at speed.
Baris Alper Yilmaz then added further insurance in the 119th minute, effectively ending any hopes of a final Juventus response and completing Galatasaray’s scoring in extra time.
When the final whistle sounded, Juventus had won the match 3-2 but fell short over the two legs, with Galatasaray advancing 7-5 on aggregate from a playoff that swung dramatically in both directions.
The Italian side’s spirited effort, including three goals after trailing from the first leg and playing a significant period with 10 men, will be remembered as a near-miss.
For Galatasaray, Osimhen’s extra-time strike and Yilmaz’s late goal confirmed progression after a high-pressure night in Turin, sending the Istanbul club into the next round of the Champions League.
