Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen produced a stunning performance on Wednesday night, firing a brilliant hat-trick to inspire Galatasaray to a commanding 3-0 victory over Ajax in their UEFA Champions League Group Stage clash at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
The Super Eagles forward was simply unplayable, scoring in the 59th, 66th, and 78th minutes, twice from the penalty spot, to silence the 51,000 Ajax fans and propel the Turkish champions to a vital away win in Amsterdam.
Osimhen’s first goal came in the 59th minute when he rose high above Ajax’s defence to head home a precise cross, giving goalkeeper Remko Pasveer no chance.
Just seven minutes later, VAR awarded Galatasaray a penalty for a handball, and the 26-year-old coolly converted, slotting into the bottom corner for his second of the night.
The Nigerian completed his hat-trick in the 78th minute after another handball incident led to a second penalty.
Once again, he stepped up confidently and sent Pasveer the wrong way to seal a memorable treble, his first in Galatasaray colours.
The Turkish side dominated the match, registering seven shots on target to Ajax’s one, with Osimhen constantly tormenting the Dutch defence alongside Leroy Sané and Mauro Icardi.
Ajax’s efforts to fight back were thwarted by an inspired performance from Galatasaray goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır, who pulled off a series of crucial saves to keep a clean sheet.
The victory puts Galatasaray in a strong position in the group stage as they chase qualification for the knockout stages, while Ajax’s campaign took another hit after a winless run continued.
