Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has become the first Nigerian player to score double figures in the UEFA Champions League, reaching the 10-goal mark in Galatasaray’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool on Tuesday night at Rams Park.
Making his first full start for the Turkish champions since returning from an ankle injury, the 26-year-old showed no signs of rust. He confidently converted a 16th-minute penalty awarded after Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai was penalized for a foul inside the box.
Osimhen’s calm strike past Alisson Becker not only secured Galatasaray an early advantage but also cemented his place in history as Nigeria’s most prolific scorer in the Champions League. He walked away with the Man of the Match award for his decisive performance.
With this milestone, Osimhen surpassed Obafemi Martins (9 goals) on Nigeria’s all-time Champions League scoring chart. Other notable Nigerian names — Ademola Lookman, Nwankwo Kanu, Victor Ikpeba, and Yakubu Aiyegbeni — remain further back with five goals apiece.
The achievement comes just weeks after Osimhen’s injury setback during Nigeria’s World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa. His return has provided Galatasaray with a huge boost as they look to advance from a challenging group that includes some of Europe’s top clubs.
