Victor Osimhen Set New Record In Turkey, Wins Turkish Cup

Nigeria and Galatasaray’s striker Victor Osimhen made a remarkable impact on Wednesday, May 14, by scoring twice and breaking the Turkish football record for the most goals by a foreign player in a single season.

Victor Osimhen’s efforts were instrumental in helping Istanbul giants Galatasaray secure the Turkish Cup with a decisive 3-0 victory over Trabzonspor.

Entering the final at Gaziantep Stadium, Osimhen was just one goal away from equaling Mario Jardel’s long-standing record of 34 goals during the 2000-2001 season.

However, he not only matched this record but surpassed it, bringing his season tally to an impressive 35 goals in 38 appearances during his debut season in Turkey.

The match began with Galatasaray quickly taking control, highlighted by Barış Alper Yılmaz’s opening goal in the fifth minute, following an incisive pass from Yunus Akgün.

This early goal set the tone for a dominant performance by Okan Buruk’s side, who managed to keep Trabzonspor at bay, despite their attempts from Anthony Nwakaeme and Ozan Tufan in the first half.

Osimhen showcased his skills just a minute into the second half by doubling the lead. He perfectly timed his run to connect with a through ball from Yılmaz, skillfully shielding the ball from a defender before placing a low shot past Trabzonspor’s goalkeeper, Uğurcan Çakır.

His second goal came shortly afterward, where he displayed excellent technique to control a precise pass from Yunus Akgün after a recycled corner, curling the ball into the top corner.

With this brace, Osimhen not only propelled Galatasaray to their sixth Turkish Cup title since 2000 but also moved up the club’s all-time foreign goalscorer list, surpassing Mario Jardel and now aiming for the legendary Gheorghe Hagi, who leads with 72 goals.

The final whistle confirmed Galatasaray’s status as Turkish Cup champions for a record 19th time, reinforcing their position as the most successful team in the competition’s history, well ahead of Beşiktaş (11), Trabzonspor (9), and Fenerbahçe (7).

Looking ahead, Galatasaray are poised to pursue a domestic double, as they prepare to host Kayserispor on Sunday. A victory would not only secure their 25th league title but also mark their first domestic double since the 1998/1999 season.