AfriPulse
Victor Osimhen
Galatasaray booked their place in the Round of 16 in dramatic fashion, overcoming Juventus 7–5 on aggregate despite a spirited 3–2 extra-time defeat on the night in Turin.
Juventus came into the decisive encounter determined to overturn the deficit and started brightly in front of their home supporters.
Their breakthrough arrived in the 37th minute when Manuel Locatelli calmly converted from the penalty spot to ignite hopes of a comeback.
The Italian giants continued to press and were rewarded again in the 70th minute as Federico Gatti rose to the occasion to make it 2–0 on the night, tightening the aggregate scoreline.
With momentum firmly on their side, Juventus found a third goal through Weston McKennie, whose clinical finish levelled the tie at 5–5 on aggregate and forced the contest into extra time.
However, Galatasaray’s resilience proved decisive when it mattered most.
In the 106th minute of extra time, Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen struck a crucial goal, finishing off a beautifully crafted assist from Baris Alper Yilmaz to swing the tie back in favour of the Turkish side.
As Juventus pushed desperately for another lifeline, Galatasaray delivered the final blow. In the 119th minute, Yilmaz turned from provider to scorer, finding the back of the net to seal qualification and silence the home crowd.
Despite Juventus’ valiant effort and three-goal surge, Galatasaray held their nerve across the two legs to advance 7–5 on aggregate, capping off a pulsating European night filled with drama, intensity, and late heroics.
Source: TheWhistler | Read the Full Story…
