Süper Lig
Galatasaray 2-2 Çorum
The champions suffered more than expected in their season opener. Galatasaray were held to a 2-2 draw by newly promoted Çorum FK at RAMS Park in a match that initially appeared to be under the home side’s control but eventually turned into a real battle.
Victor Osimhen was the star for Gala with a brace, while Alexandros Kyziridis and Jesús Ramírez scored Çorum’s first goals in the top flight of Turkish soccer.
The newly promoted side even finished the match with 10 men but survived the champions’ pressure and came extremely close to taking all three points in stoppage time.
Galatasaray Dominate, but Çorum Hold Firm
Çorum started without fear, looking to press and quickly attack the opposition goal. However, as the minutes passed, Galatasaray took control of possession and began to pin the visitors back.
In the eighth minute, captain Abdülkerim Bardakcı headed a corner just wide.
Two minutes later came Çorum’s first opportunity in the SuperLig. Alexandros Kyziridis tried his luck with a header, although his effort went wide.
Then Osimhen began to make his presence felt.
The Nigerian threatened in the 14th minute with a header and tried again in the 24th with a shot from the edge of the box that Marcos Felipe managed to save.
One minute later, Yunus Akgün found the back of the net with an excellent header, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Galatasaray kept attacking.
Osimhen had more opportunities in the 33rd and 35th minutes, while Gabriel Sara forced Marcos Felipe into another good save in the 36th.
Çorum survived any way they could.
And they managed to reach halftime with the score still 0-0.
Osimhen Scores, but Çorum Turn It Around
The second half began exactly the same way.
Osimhen threatened again with a header, but Marcos Felipe was there once more.
Until the 52nd minute, when there was nothing he could do.
The Nigerian striker won the race to the ball, beat the goalkeeper to it and, from an extremely tight angle, finished with the inside of his foot to make it 1-0.
It was the first goal of the new SuperLig season.
It appeared Galatasaray had finally broken through the wall.
But Çorum responded spectacularly.
In the 56th minute, Alexandros Kyziridis unleashed a stunning long-range strike that flew into the top corner, silencing RAMS Park and scoring the club’s first-ever goal in the SuperLig.
Four minutes later, the unthinkable happened.
Jesús Ramírez capitalized on a mistake from Davinson Sánchez and produced an excellent finish to make it 2-1.
In the space of just eight minutes, the champions had gone from controlling the match to trailing at home against the newly promoted side.
Osimhen Rescues the Champions
The story changed again in the 69th minute.
Kyziridis, who had scored Çorum’s historic first goal, was shown a straight red card following a challenge on Yunus Akgün.
The visitors were down to 10 men.
From that moment, the siege began.
Galatasaray attacked from every possible direction, but the visiting defense and Marcos Felipe continued to resist.
Until Victor Osimhen appeared once again.
The Nigerian rose above the defense and powered home a header to make it 2-2, complete his brace and rescue the champions.
But there was still one final surprise to come.
Çorum Nearly Complete the Upset
In the 90+2 minute, Mohamed Diomande came extremely close to completing a historic night for the newly promoted side with a powerful header.
Uğurcan Çakır responded with a spectacular save to prevent the third goal and rescue Galatasaray from a stunning defeat.
The score would not change again.
Galatasaray and Çorum drew 2-2 in a thrilling start to the SuperLig season.
For the champions, Osimhen once again demonstrated his importance with two goals that prevented defeat.
For Çorum, the result carries an entirely different meaning.
In their first match in the top flight, away to the defending champions and finishing with 10 players, they earned a historic point.
And they were just one save away from achieving something even bigger.
Don't miss the best of the #SüperLig on #beINSPORTS
#SüperLig #beINSPORTS
