Victor Osimhen fires Galatasaray to victory on hellish night for error-strewn Liverpool

NOT QUITE TURKISH DELIGHT: Liverpool's Alexander Isak looks frustrated.

Champions League: Galatasaray 1 Liverpool 0

Reigning Premier League champions and league leaders may be held to higher standards but concerns grow for Liverpool. 

Arne Slot’s side suffered back-to-back defeats after falling to Galatasaray in Istanbul. Their performance may trouble Liverpool’s head coach greater than the result.

Liverpool were short on ideas and again suspect defensively as they were beaten by Victor Osimhen’s first-half penalty. Defeat could have been heavier had the Galatasaray striker not squandered two clear openings early in the second half and it needed the 62nd minute introduction of Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak to inject direction into the Liverpool attack.

The visitors were almost reprieved by the award of an 89th minute penalty for a suspected foul on Ibrahima Konate but even that did not go their way. Referee Clrment Turpin overturned his decision after being sent to the pitch-side monitor by the video assistant referee.

Despite a quiet start to the season by his standards, and the opportunity for more rotation from Slot following a summer of heavy investment, the absence of Salah from a Liverpool starting lineup still contains the capacity to surprise. 

Salah, two goals shy of recording 250 for the club in all competitions, was on the bench alongside Alexander Isak, Alexis Mac Allister and Conor Bradley as Slot made four changes from the side that suffered a first league defeat of the season at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Jeremie Frimpong took Salah’s place with Dominik Szoboszlai stationed behind him at right-back again. 

The Hungary midfielder was in for a testing night against the pace of Baris Alper Yilmaz. The same could be said of the entire Liverpool team in the first half as Galatasaray embraced the occasion.

Rams Park pulsated with noise 45 minutes before kick-off. Incessant, deafening whistles greeted every Liverpool touch after it. There was also a classy moment at kick-off when a tribute to Diogo Jota was displayed on the giant screen and around the digital hoardings inside the arena.

Okan Buruk’s team have made a 100% start to the Super Lig season as they pursue a fourth consecutive Turkish league title but domestic dominance has not transferred into European competition. 

Galatasaray had won only one of their last 18 Champions League group games prior to Liverpool’s visit and none of their last seven European ties.

From the backing of an impassioned crowd to the wild commitment of their players, the champions of Turkey were determined to make amends.

Yilmaz scorched past Szoboszlai at Galatasaray’s first genuine attack. The forward was through on goal but, as at Selhurst Park, Alisson stood his ground well to make an important block with his feet. 

There would be no reprieve for Liverpool’s makeshift full-back when Yilmaz next had a run at him.

Hugo Ekitike steered a free header wide from Cody Gakpo’s cross as the visitors attempted to silence the din. Gakpo created another opening for Ekitiké when slipping him through with a neat pass. Ugurcan Cakir, like Alisson before him, stood tall and saved with his legs only for the rebound to fall to Gakpo. 

His volley was blocked on the line by Ismail Jakobs and 25 seconds later, after Florian Wirtz had squandered possession in the home penalty area with an over-elaborate back-heel, Galatasaray were awarded a penalty. The hosts broke through Ilkay Gündogan and Yilmaz, who again attacked Szoboszlai from the left and cut back inside the defender before collapsing to the ground.

Yilmaz had been caught in the face by Szoboszlai’s trailing hand — it was more of a stroke of the stubble than a proper slap — but the referee Clément Turpin immediately pointed to the spot. Osimhen drilled the spot kick straight down the centre of Alisson’s goal.

Liverpool dominated possession and outnumbered the Galatasaray defence on several counterattacks without turning promise into genuine opportunity. Cakir saved from Wirtz at close range, desperate defending prevented Ekitike and Milos Kerkez converting at the resulting corner and Konate put a free header wide at the near post.

But Slot’s side were unconvincing at the back and almost punished again when Osimhen dispossessed Ryan Gravenberch before being tripped by the midfielder just outside the Liverpool area. The £65m striker felt he was denied a clear goalscoring opportunity but Gravenberch was punished with a yellow card.

Osimhen, a disruptive force all night, was gifted a chance to double the hosts’ lead by a mix-up between Konaté and Gravenberch. A tame shot was easily gathered by Alisson, but the Liverpool keeper was injured in the process and had to be replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Alisson’s replacement was not troubled once Osimhen departed injury. Neither was Cakir, however, despite Liverpool penning Galatasaray in during the closing stages.

Galatasaray: Cakir, Singo, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs, Torreira, Lemina, Akgun (Sallai 72), Gundogan (Gabriel Sara 75), Yilmaz (Elmali 85), Osimhen (Icardi 72).

Liverpool: Alisson (Mamardashvili 56), Szoboszlai, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch (Isak 62),Jones, Frimpong (Bradley 62), Wirtz, Gakpo (Salah 62), Ekitike (Mac Allister 68).

Referee: Clement Turpin (Bourgogne).

Guardian