In a UEFA Champions League spectacle that will be remembered for years, Nigerian international Victor Osimhen delivered a breathtaking performance, scoring a perfect hat-trick to secure a decisive 3-0 win for Galatasaray against a beleaguered Ajax side at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Tuesday night.
From the onset, the Turkish champions asserted their dominance, controlling possession and pinning Ajax in their own half. The relentless pressure from wingers Leroy Sané and Gabriel Sara constantly troubled the Dutch defence, but a breakthrough remained elusive until the hour mark.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 59th minute when Sané delivered a pinpoint cross, met by a powerful, soaring header from Osimhen that rattled the net. After a brief VAR check to confirm the goal, the floodgates opened.
The match soon descended into high drama as Galatasaray was awarded two penalties following clear handball incidents in the box. With remarkable composure, Osimhen stepped up on both occasions, first coolly sending goalkeeper Remko Pasveer the wrong way in the 63rd minute, and then firing another past him in the 76th. By the 79th minute, the Nigerian striker had completed his hat-trick, sealing a historic night for his club.
Ajax’s frustrations were palpable, resulting in yellow cards for players and their manager, but they had no answer to Galatasaray’s midfield dominance or Osimhen’s razor-sharp instincts. Substituted in the closing moments to a thunderous standing ovation, Osimhen walked off with the match ball—a fitting trophy for a truly world-class display.
