First-ever brace for Osimhen in first half of European competition as Galatasaray beat Tottenham

Victor Osimhen scored twice as Galatasaray beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 in the UEFA Europa League matchday four fixture played at the RAMS Park on Thursday.

Five minutes into the game Yunus Akgün gave Galatasaray the lead with a stunning strike, producing a wonderful volley into the top corner after Gabriel Sara's free-kick was cleared.

Will Lankshear put Spurs back on level terms, tapping the ball home from Brennan Johnson's low cross.

Just after the half-hour mark, Tottenham centre-back Radu Drăgușin lost the ball under pressure; it fell to Dries Mertens, who set Osimhen up, and the Nigerian striker picked the bottom corner with a one-time effort.

The Napoli loanee was on target again in the 38th minute, poking the ball once again into the bottom corner from Merten's fantastic cross to net his second of the game.

Spurs’ quest to complete the comeback suffered a setback on the hour mark as Lankshear was sent off, after receiving two yellow cards

Dominic Solanke reduced the away side deficit, pulling in front of Davinson Sánchez before turning Pedro Porro's pass into the net with a sublime skill.

Today marks the first time that Osimhen has scored a brace in the first half of a game in a European competition.

His first brace was in Napoli's 2-2 draw with Leicester City in the Europa League in the 2020/2021 campaign while his second was in the Serie A side's 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League round of 16 tie in the 2022/2023 season.

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

Photo Credit: galatasaray.org

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