Genclerbirligi Stun Galatasaray in Turkish Cup as Victor Osimhen Makes Injury Return

Posted : 23 April 2026

Galatasaray’s defense of their Turkish Cup title came to an abrupt end on Wednesday night. The Istanbul giants suffered a surprising 2-0 defeat at the hands of Genclerbirligi in the quarter-final stage. The match at Rams Park was expected to be a routine victory for the hosts, but the visitors produced a disciplined performance to dump the holders out of the competition.

The headline story before kickoff was the return of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen to the matchday squad. After spending over a month on the sidelines due to injury, Osimhen started the game on the bench. Manager Okan Buruk opted for a strong starting lineup featuring Mauro Icardi and Leroy Sane, hoping to wrap up the tie early.

Despite dominating possession throughout the first half, Galatasaray failed to find a breakthrough. The home side struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against a resilient Genclerbirligi defense. Forwards Icardi and Noa Lang both missed half-chances as the first period ended in a stalemate.

The game shifted dramatically six minutes into the second half when Genclerbirligi took a shock lead. Firatcan Uzum capitalised on a lapse in the Galatasaray defense to fire the visitors ahead. The goal stunned the home crowd and forced Buruk to look toward his bench for inspiration.

Osimhen was eventually introduced in the 78th minute to provide a physical presence in the box. However, the comeback hopes were dashed just five minutes later. Adama Traore scored a second for Genclerbirligi in the 83rd minute to double their advantage and effectively end the contest.

The defeat means Galatasaray will focus solely on the Turkish Super Lig for the remainder of the season. They currently sit in a tight title race and cannot afford any further domestic slips. The loss is particularly stinging given that Galatasaray had defeated the same opponents in league action just days prior.

Attention now turns to the upcoming Intercontinental Derby against Fenerbahce this weekend. Osimhen’s cameo against Genclerbirligi was a fitness test designed to prepare him for that high-stakes encounter. The Super Eagles star is expected to lead the line as Galatasaray seeks redemption against their fiercest rivals.

Genclerbirligi Stun Galatasaray in Turkish Cup as Victor Osimhen Makes Injury Return

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