Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen made history on Wednesday night by breaking a long-standing Turkish football record and helping Galatasaray win the Turkish Cup with a 3-0 victory over Trabzonspor.
The final, played at the Gaziantep Stadium, saw Osimhen score twice to surpass the record for most goals in a single season by a foreign player in Turkey. The previous record of 34 goals was held by Mario Jardel since the 2000/01 season.
Osimhen went into the match with 33 goals. He equalled the record in the 46th minute and then set a new one with his second goal in the 63rd minute, taking his season total to 35 goals in 38 matches.
After the match, Osimhen said, “It’s an honour to break this record and help Galatasaray win the cup. I feel proud to be part of this great team.”
Galatasaray started strong with a goal in the 5th minute by Barış Alper Yılmaz, who finished a team move set up by Yunus Akgün. The team controlled the game from the start and never looked threatened, even though Trabzonspor’s Anthony Nwakaeme and Ozan Tufan had a few chances.
Just after halftime, Osimhen doubled the lead by running onto a through ball from Yılmaz and finishing calmly past goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır. His second goal came from a pass by Akgün, which he controlled and curled into the top corner, sending Galatasaray fans into celebration.
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With this win, Galatasaray lifted the Turkish Cup for the 19th time—more than any other club in the country. They remain ahead of Beşiktaş (11 wins), Trabzonspor (9), and Fenerbahçe (7).
Osimhen’s two goals also moved him ahead of Mario Jardel on Galatasaray’s list of top foreign scorers. He is now chasing Romanian legend Gheorghe Hagi, who holds the record with 72 goals.
The club now turns its focus to the Turkish Super Lig, where a win against Kayserispor on Sunday would give them their 25th league title and their first domestic double since the 1998/99 season.
Osimhen said, “Our job is not done yet. We want to win the league and make it a season to remember.”