Akin Ayomide
Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen continued his blistering Champions League form on Wednesday, firing a sensational hat-trick to hand Galatasaray a 3–0 win over Ajax at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
The Nigerian star entered the game with three goals in the competition—having scored twice against Bodo/Glimt and the decisive winner over Premier League champions Liverpool. His treble against Ajax raises his tally to six this season, sending him to the top of the Champions League scoring chart.
After a cagey first half, Osimhen opened the scoring in the 59th minute, meeting Leroy Sané’s pinpoint cross with a diving header.
Minutes later, he doubled the lead from the penalty spot after Youri Baas was penalised for handball—VAR confirming the decision before Osimhen coolly slotted past Remko Pasveer.
He completed his hat-trick in the 78th minute, converting another penalty awarded for a handball by substitute Gerald Alders.
The emphatic finish sealed Galatasaray’s biggest European win of the season.
The victory puts the Turkish champions on nine points from four matches—marking their best start to a Champions League campaign and placing them on course for the round of 16.
Ajax, meanwhile, remain bottom of the group after suffering their fourth straight defeat.
Galatasaray next face Belgian champions Union St. Gilloise, while Ajax will seek their first victory of the tournament against Jose Mourinho’s Benfica.
Osimhen’s triple makes him only the second Galatasaray player to score a Champions League hat-trick, following Burak Yilmaz’s feat in 2012.