Victor Osimhen’s dream of winning the UEFA Europa League with Galatasaray came to an abrupt end as the Turkish giants were eliminated by AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night.
The second-leg clash in Istanbul ended in a 2-2 draw, sealing a 6-3 aggregate victory for the Dutch side.
After suffering a 3-1 defeat in the Netherlands during the first leg, Galatasaray had high hopes of overturning the deficit on home soil.
However, they were without Osimhen for that match due to suspension, leaving them with an uphill task in the return leg.
AZ Alkmaar took control of the match when Maikuna S. opened the scoring in the 42nd minute.
Their dominance continued early in the second half, with Kasius D. doubling their lead, leaving the home crowd stunned.
Galatasaray fought back, and it was Osimhen who reignited their hopes by pulling one back just a minute later in the 56th minute.
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The Nigerian forward found the back of the net with a clinical finish, sparking a surge in confidence for the home side.
However, their momentum was short-lived as AZ Alkmaar responded in the 70th minute through Sallai R., restoring parity at 2-2.
Despite a late push from the Turkish side, the result meant that AZ Alkmaar progressed to the next round, while Galatasaray bowed out of the competition.
Osimhen and his teammates will now shift their focus to domestic competitions, as their European journey comes to a disappointing end.