Galatasaray win 1-0 over Kocaelispor as Osimhen misses second straight game

Galatasaray secured a 1-0 home win over Kocaelispor earlier today, with Abdulkerim Bardakci scoring the winner 19 minutes from time. Victor Osimhen missed his second consecutive game after picking up an injury in the 3-2 victory at Istanbul Başakşehir on September 4. Coach Okan Buruk admitted the team missed Osimhen’s presence, saying, “Having Osimhen is a strength, not just in terms of the player, but also psychologically, just being on the field. Playing with him is a different experience.”

This matters to Nigerian fans because Osimhen remains a key attacker for both club and country. His recurring injury raises concerns about his availability for upcoming Super Eagles qualifiers and Galatasaray’s title push. Buruk also praised Deniz’s performance but stressed the importance of having a clinical striker.

Galatasaray travel to Trabzonspor this weekend for their next league fixture. Fans should monitor official club updates on Osimhen’s recovery and consider how his absence might affect the team’s attacking options in the coming weeks.

Will Osimhen return in time to make an impact for Galatasaray and Nigeria, or will his injury layup force tactical changes that could affect both club and national team performance?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/14/turkey-galatasaray-missed-osimhen-in-narrow-kocaelispor-win-buruk/