In a dramatic Champions League clash in Istanbul tonight, Victor Osimhen struck from the penalty spot in the 16th minute to hand Galatasaray a 1–0 victory over Liverpool — marking the Merseyside side’s second straight defeat.
Osimhen’s spot kick was awarded after a foul on Barış Yılmaz by Dominik Szoboszlai, and despite late pressure from Liverpool, the visitors never found an equaliser.
Liverpool’s woes are mounting. Just days earlier, in the Premier League, Crystal Palace stunned them with a 2–1 win thanks to Eddie Nketiah’s stoppage-time strike. Palace had taken an early lead through Ismaïla Sarr, but Federico Chiesa equalised in the 87th minute before Nketiah fired home late after a VAR review.
Implications & Reaction
With this defeat, Liverpool have now lost two in a row — a rare sequence under head coach Arne Slot. Injuries also resulted: both Alisson and Hugo Ekitike were forced off during the Galatasaray match, leaving Liverpool further stretched. Despite dominating possession late in Istanbul, Liverpool could not convert. A late penalty appeal was overturned by VAR, denying them a lifeline. Against Palace, Slot openly admitted that his team were outplayed, particularly conceding to set pieces and lapses in discipline.
For Liverpool, the calendar’s not kind: their unbeaten start in Europe and England has now been derailed, and questions will swirl about squad depth, defensive fragility, and mental resilience.
