Victor Osimhen scores hat-trick as Galatasaray beat Ajax 3-0
Victor Osimhen scored a hat-trick as Galatasaray handed Ajax their fourth straight defeat in this season’s Champions League.
The Nigerian striker took his European tally to six goals this term, opening the scoring in the 59th minute before adding two more from the penalty spot.
With his hat-trick, Osimhen reached 25 goals in European competitions, overtaking former Inter Milan and Newcastle United forward Obafemi Martins to become Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in Europe.
The 26-year-old is now the top scorer in the league phase of the Champions League this season, one goal ahead of Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappé.
Ajax went into halftime level, thanks to goalkeeper Remko Pasveer, who made two brilliant saves to deny Osimhen.
But Pasveer could do little after the restart, as Osimhen raced ahead of defender Josip Šutalo to head home Leroy Sané’s cross.
Ajax’s night went from bad to worse when the referee awarded the Turkish side two penalties—both for handball offences.
Osimhen calmly converted the first, awarded after a VAR review showed the ball ricocheting off the leg of Youri Baas onto the Dutchman’s arm.
He then made no mistake with the second spot-kick, conceded by Anton Gaaei, blasting his strike into the top-right corner.
The result leaves Ajax rooted to the bottom of the table, having lost all four of their Champions League matches by an aggregate score of 14-1.
Galatasaray, meanwhile, climbed to ninth place and closed in on a spot in the top eight, which guarantees automatic qualification for the knockout stage.
