Victor Osimhen scored the goal that finished Lille off, then held both hands up to the home fans in apology — a night of respect in France that ended with the Galatasaray striker warning Fenerbahçe that he is ready for the Istanbul derby.
The Nigeria international struck in the 61st minute at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Wednesday, converting a pass from Barış Alper Yılmaz to make it 4-2 and seal Galatasaray's first Champions League win of the season, as our match report from Lille detailed. It was his first goal in the competition this season, and it came against the club where he first announced himself in Europe in 2019-20.
A Goal, an Apology and a Standing Ovation
As Pulse Sports reported, Osimhen refused to celebrate, immediately raising his hands toward the Lille supporters in a gesture of respect for his former club. The home crowd returned the compliment: when he was substituted with seven minutes remaining, both sets of fans applauded him off the pitch.
Galatasaray had needed him. Soriba Diaoune's double had twice put Lille in front after Yunus Akgün's second-minute opener, Aleksei Batrakov headed the visitors level at 2-2 just before half-time, and a Nabil Bentaleb own goal early in the second half nudged Okan Buruk's side ahead before Osimhen applied the finish that settled a frantic game.
"I Love This Stadium"
Osimhen was named Player of the Match, and afterwards he made clear the night meant more than three points. "I love this stadium. The fans are incredible. We had a tough match. I'm very happy for our team; we won. I also wish Lille good luck in their next matches," he said, in quotes carried by Complete Sports from Galatasaray's official channels.
"Lille players are very tough. They even took the lead. We managed to win the match together as a team. I'm happy we got the three points," he added. It was a fitting return to the ground that launched him — the story of his rise from Lagos is told in our Off The Pitch profile of Osimhen.
Now for Fenerbahçe: "There Can Be Chaos"
There was no lingering sentimentality about what comes next. Speaking after the match, Osimhen turned his attention to the derby against Fenerbahçe. "When we talk about the derby, of course, we are talking about an emotional game. Of course, there can be chaos. We are looking forward to it," he said, as reported by SportsNow.
"Right now, winning all the derbies is almost halfway to the championship. We will play at home, we will have an advantage and we want to do our best and complete this match in the best way as a team," he added, thanking the Galatasaray supporters for their backing.
So What Does It Mean?
Both Lille and Galatasaray had started the night pointless after two defeats, so this was a result that changes the shape of Galatasaray's European season: three points on the board, their star striker off the mark in the competition, and momentum before Stuttgart visit Istanbul on 3 November. Lille, by contrast, remain stuck on zero points after three matches and are running out of road in the league phase.
For Osimhen himself, the timing matters. A first Champions League goal of the campaign, a Player of the Match award and a derby warning delivered in the same evening is exactly the kind of statement week a captain makes when his team needs lifting.
Beyond the Final Whistle: strikers who apologise to old clubs and then talk about chaos in the derby understand football's theatre better than most. Osimhen gave Lille respect on Wednesday night — Fenerbahçe should not expect any.
Was Osimhen right not to celebrate against his former club, or should a striker always enjoy his goals? Let us know in the comments.
