Galatasaray dealt Tottenham Hotspur their first Europa League defeat of the season with a dramatic 3-2 win in Istanbul, led by a stellar performance from Victor Osimhen, who netted twice for the hosts. Spurs played the final 30 minutes with 10 men after young striker Will Lankshear, who had scored earlier, was sent off for a second yellow card.
The Turkish side took an early lead in the sixth minute when Yunus Akgun unleashed a spectacular half-volley into the top-right corner. Tottenham responded well, equalizing 12 minutes later as Lankshear tapped in his first goal for the club from a Brennan Johnson assist.
Galatasaray dominated the attacking play, with Osimhen forcing several saves from Fraser Forster. The Nigerian striker regained the lead for the hosts in the 31st minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by Radu Dragusin to poke the ball home. Just before halftime, Osimhen struck again with a composed volley from a pinpoint Dries Mertens cross.
Spurs’ second-half substitutions, including Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, did little to shift the momentum. Lankshear’s dismissal on the hour mark for a reckless tackle further hampered Tottenham’s efforts. Despite being a man down, Tottenham pulled one back in the 69th minute with a clever backheel finish from Dominic Solanke off Pedro Porro’s low cross.
Galatasaray continued to press, but Spurs nearly stole a point in stoppage time when Kulusevski’s long-range effort rolled just wide with Galatasaray goalkeeper Fernando Muslera stranded out of position.
The victory sees Galatasaray leapfrog Tottenham in the standings, moving to the top of the group with 10 points, while Spurs remain on nine after four matches.
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