The high-flying Nigerian hitman Victor Osimhen has done it again, leaving defenders in the dust and keeping fans on the edge of their seats—only for total heartbreak to strike minutes later.
Osimhen found the back of the net once more for Galatasaray during their action-packed 3-2 Trendyol Süper Lig Round 4 victory over Başakşehir, extending his jaw-dropping streak of scoring in every single game this season.
But the euphoric roar from the away end quickly turned into a stunned silence. Just at the half-hour mark, the Super Eagles superstar was forced off with an injury that could derail both his domestic momentum and international ambitions.
You could feel the excitement in the stadium right from the kickoff. It took Osimhen just 16 minutes to show why he is one of the most lethal strikers in world football.
Creating a sliver of space on the edge of the penalty area, he pulled the trigger with pinpoint accuracy.
The ball crashed off the crossbar, rattled the post, and crossed the line—a spectacular strike confirmed by VAR to put the Lions ahead.
That stunner brought his season tally to a staggering six goals and two assists in just four Süper Lig outings, while extending an outrageous run of directly contributing to a goal in 16 consecutive league games for the Yellow-Reds (16 goals, 7 assists).
Then came the moment every football fan dreads. In the 33rd minute, Osimhen went down clutching his leg and was unable to continue.
Speaking on the severe nature of the blow, Turkish medical expert Dr. Gürkan Kubilay noted that the forward likely tore the muscle ligaments in that sequence—an injury that typically side-lines elite athletes for three to four months.
Pending official confirmation from the club’s medical staff, this means the prolific marksman could be out of action until January 2027.
The timing could not possibly be worse for club or country. The Lions managed to grind out a chaotic 3-2 win after Osimhen was replaced by Barış Alper Yılmaz—thanks to a second-half strike from Lucas Torreira and a magnificent 90th-minute free-kick winner from Gabriel Sara following a frantic exchange of goals and a red card for the Grey Owls.
However, the mood surrounding the Aslanlar is far from celebratory. With Sporting CP waiting in the wings for a crucial UEFA Champions League clash, losing their undisputed focal point leaves a massive tactical vacuum.
The injury blow also extend all the way back to West Africa, where Super Eagles boss Éric Chelle faces a massive selection nightmare.
With critical Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau looming on September 23, 2026, Nigeria will almost certainly have to navigate the international window without their premier goal-scoring machine.
