Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen, saw his Europa League aspirations shattered on Thursday night as Galatasaray bowed out of the competition following a 2-2 home draw against AZ Alkmaar, concluding the tie with a 6-2 aggregate defeat.
The exit added to a tough week for Nigerian footballers in Europe, coming just a day after Ademola Lookman and Atalanta also suffered elimination.
Having missed the first leg due to suspension, Osimhen was determined to make an impact at Rams Park.
However, Galatasaray faced an uphill battle after a 4-1 defeat in the first leg, and their comeback hopes were quickly extinguished by a relentless AZ Alkmaar side.
Despite their more experienced lineup, Galatasaray struggled against the Dutch club’s youthful squad, which had an average age of just 23.2 years compared to their 28.3.
AZ Alkmaar seized control of the game and the tie, striking twice to silence the home crowd.
The visitors broke the deadlock just before halftime when Seiya Maikuma capitalized on a lucky deflection to put AZ ahead, stretching their aggregate lead to 5-1.
The Turkish giants found themselves in deeper trouble in the second half when AZ’s Kasius unleashed a stunning long-range effort that flew past goalkeeper Günay Guvenc, making it 2-0 on the night and 6-1 on aggregate.
Galatasaray were left reeling but refused to go down without a fight. Osimhen sparked a glimmer of hope with a powerful half-volley, reducing the deficit to four goals.
Moments later, Roland Sallai equalized for the hosts with a composed finish from Baris Alper Yılmaz’s assist.
Despite the late surge, Galatasaray still required three more goals to force extra time, a task that proved insurmountable.
The final whistle confirmed their elimination, ending their European journey in heartbreaking fashion.
As AZ Alkmaar marched confidently into the next round, Osimhen and his teammates were left to rue what could have been, marking yet another disappointing chapter in their continental campaign.
