This match also marked José Mourinho’s first game as Fenerbahce’s head coach in the Istanbul derby, resulting in a disappointing loss for the Portuguese manager.
Galatasaray established dominance early in the match, with an own goal from Fenerbahce’s Dominik Livakovic in the 20th minute.
Dries Mertens extended the lead with a goal in the 28th minute, allowing Galatasaray to head into halftime with a comfortable 2-0 advantage.
In the second half, Gabriel Davi Gomes netted Galatasaray’s third goal in the 59th minute.
Although Fenerbahce managed to score through Edin Dzeko’s penalty in the 63rd minute, it was insufficient to change the result.
Victor Osimhen, the Nigerian forward, made a significant impact with a brilliant assist during the 28th minute. While he did not score, Osimhen’s overall performance was crucial to the team’s success, demonstrating his ability to contribute in various ways.
It is worth noting that Osimhen, who joined on loan from Napoli, also provided an assist in his debut match against Çaykur Rizespor last week.
This victory reinforced Galatasaray’s position at the top of the Super Lig standings, while Fenerbahce’s aspirations for a derby win were thwarted, despite Mourinho’s strategic efforts.
The coach will likely analyze his team’s defensive weaknesses and aim for improvement in the upcoming matches, as reported by Turkiye Sports.
The 25-year-old Nigerian international recorded four shots on goal, with one on target.
Prior to this significant derby, Mourinho had intensified scrutiny on Osimhen by suggesting he has a tendency to dive.
“I don’t have problems with Victor,” Mourinho, who most recently coached Roma in Serie A before joining Fenerbahce, told HT Spor.
“In fact, we have a very good relationship. But every time I play against him, I speak with him because I don’t like the way he behaves. He dives too much.
“I told him, ‘Look, you are one of the two best African players, you and Mohamed Salah.’
“In the past, Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, George Weah. You cannot behave like this. He dives too much. That’s my problem with him.”
In the match, Galatasaray accumulated six yellow cards as they sought to manage Fenerbahçe’s offensive efforts, which contributed a physical dimension to their gameplay.
In contrast, the home team received just one yellow card.
This encounter underscored Galatasaray’s capacity to endure pressure while seizing critical opportunities, exemplified by Osimhen’s pivotal assist.