Victor Osimhen’s hat-trick in Galatasaray’s 4-0 win over Antalyaspor on Friday saw him surpass Krzysztof Piatek in the race for the Turkish Super Lig Golden Boot.
The Nigeria international’s brilliance helped the Lions retain their top spot in the league, extending their lead to 10 points over Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce.
Osimhen put Galatasaray in the lead at the 30-minute mark, capitalizing on a perfectly placed assist from Spain international Alvaro Morata.
He had the chance to double his tally in the 45th minute from the penalty spot but chose to let the former Chelsea striker take and convert the kick instead.
With what seemed like the final strike of the first half, the Napoli loanee extended his side’s lead in the thrilling, goal-filled opening at Rams Park.
Osimhen completed his hat-trick in the 50th minute, marking his 20th goal of the 2024-25 season and surpassing the Istanbul Basaksehir striker, who has 18 goals so far.
Notwithstanding his heroics, the Super Eagle was substituted for Dries Mertens in the 68th minute.
“First of all, I think we need to congratulate the team and then our fans. We definitely did a great job from the first whistle to the last whistle,” Osimhen told the club website after the game.
“Everyone tried to play their best. Barış played an incredible match. He made us feel very valuable in the last matches.
“Yunus is back and he is also a very important player for us. We will try to reflect this result in the next matches.
“Our team is a team built on love and we are all brothers, not only on the field but also off the field.”
He also talked about why he let Morata take his penalty despite being in the Golden Boot race.
“Morata is also a very important and great player. We show mutual respect to each other. I think he can give me the ball in the same situation,” he continued.
“He is a name that has proven himself with what he has done in football. In fact, all of my teammates are very valuable to me.
“We actually owe being a team at the highest level to this. We will try to continue in this way. We want to continue by building on this momentum.”
Osimhen would be aiming to improve on his goal tally when Galatasaray square up against Besiktas on March 29.
Shina Oludare is a distinguished sports journalist and managing editor, renowned for his comprehensive coverage of African football. His dedication to elevating African sports on the global stage has earned him widespread respect, along with numerous accolades for his contributions. A graduate of the LaLiga Business School in Madrid, Oludare’s passion for sports and his influential work in African football journalism have established him as a leading figure in the industry.
