Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen, found the back of the net as Galatasaray delivered a commanding performance at the Medaş Konya Büyükşehir Stadium, securing a resounding 5-1 victory over Tümosan Konyaspor in the semi-final clash of the Ziraat Turkish Cup.
The emphatic win sealed their spot in the tournament’s final.
Galatasaray’s goals came courtesy of Osimhen in the 26th minute, followed by Lucas Torreira in the 42nd.
Roland Sallai added a brace with strikes in the 47th and 55th minutes, and Yusuf Demir wrapped it up deep into stoppage time (90+1’). Konyaspor’s lone goal came from Pedrinho in the 53rd minute.
The Lions will face the winner of the Trabzonspor vs. Göztepe clash in the final showdown.
Yunus Akgün Reaches Career Milestone
The match was especially memorable for Yunus Akgün, who celebrated his 100th appearance for Galatasaray. A product of the club’s youth academy, Yunus has steadily grown into one of the key figures in the team.
Unexpected Officiating Change
Referee Abdullah Buğra Taşkınsoy was forced to withdraw before the match due to a health issue and was taken to the hospital as a precaution. Fourth official Ali Yılmaz stepped in to officiate the game.
Starting XIs:
Konyaspor: Deniz, Nikola, Uğurcan, Adil, Guilherme, Jevtovic, Melih İbrahimoğlu, Ndao, Oğulcan, Yusuf, Kramer
Galatasaray: Günay Güvenç, Frankowski, Ismail Jakobs, Davinson Sanchez, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Lucas Torreira, Mario Lemina, Dries Mertens, Yunus Akgün, Roland Sallai, Victor Osimhen
Match Highlights:
Konyaspor started the game aggressively with high pressing, but Galatasaray’s composure and precise passing soon began to create spaces. The first 15 minutes were a midfield battle, but Galatasaray gradually took control.
In the 26th minute, Mertens whipped in a precise cross from the right wing which Osimhen met with a clinical header to open the scoring. The Nigerian striker continued to threaten, nearly scoring a second after a great through ball from Mertens in the 32nd minute, only to be denied by the keeper.
Shortly before the break, Galatasaray doubled their lead. A well-executed short corner saw Sallai deliver a dangerous cross. Osimhen’s header forced a save, and Torreira pounced on the rebound to make it 2-0 at halftime.
Second-Half Dominance
Galatasaray came out flying in the second half. Just two minutes in, Osimhen broke down the left and found Sallai, who surged forward and drilled a powerful shot into the bottom corner for 3-0.
Konyaspor managed to pull one back through Pedrinho in the 53rd minute, but Sallai quickly restored the three-goal cushion. After a clever throw-in from Jakobs, the Hungarian winger weaved past two defenders and slotted the ball into the net for 4-1.
Following a wave of substitutions—including the introduction of Berkan Kutlu, Carlos Cuesta, and Ahmed Kutucu—Galatasaray maintained control. Osimhen had another chance in the 72nd minute but couldn’t convert and was replaced by Yusuf Demir.
Despite Konyaspor throwing everything forward, they were met by strong resistance from Günay in goal. In the dying moments, Galatasaray struck once more. Crisp, short passing led to Yusuf Demir calmly slotting home the fifth in stoppage time.
Final Whistle: Konyaspor 1 – 5 Galatasaray
Galatasaray’s clinical performance secured them a place in the Turkish Cup final, where they await their opponent with confidence and momentum.
