Chelsea legend Didier Drogba and several Nigerian players have heaped praise on Victor Osimhen following his dazzling display for Galatasaray in their dramatic 2-1 Turkish Cup quarter-final victory over bitter rivals Fenerbahce, Soccernet.ng reports.
Osimhen scored both goals for Galatasaray in a fiery Istanbul derby that saw tempers boil over, three red cards brandished, and Jose Mourinho make headlines for all the wrong reasons.
The Nigerian striker needed just 10 minutes to stamp his authority on the contest, firing his side ahead with a sharp finish.
Seventeen minutes later, he doubled Galatasaray’s lead from the penalty spot, putting the Turkish giants in full control.
Although Fenerbahce pulled one back before half-time, Osimhen’s clinical brace proved enough to send Galatasaray through to the semi-finals.
Fenerbahce’s frustrations reached boiling point late in the game.
In a chaotic melee involving players and staff, Mourinho was seen pinching the nose of Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk in a bizarre exchange that added further controversy to the already tense encounter.
The referee responded by sending off three players — Galatasaray’s Kerem Demirbay and Yilmaz, along with Fenerbahce’s Hakan Yandas.
Despite being reduced to nine men, Galatasaray held firm to seal a famous win, with Osimhen the clear hero of the night. The 26-year-old has now scored 31 goals across all competitions for club and country this season.
Victor Osimhen: How football stars reacted
Osimhen’s performance was widely celebrated across social media, with some of football’s biggest names paying tribute to the striker.
Drogba, a club icon at Galatasaray and Chelsea, posted a photo of Osimhen celebrating on Instagram, captioned simply: “Aslan Cimbombom” — a popular Turkish chant meaning “Lion.”
... has fuelled speculation linking Osimhen with a move to Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest all reportedly monitoring the striker’s situation. A switch to the Saudi Pro League has also been mooted.
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Several Nigerian footballers were also left impressed by the Galatasaray striker’s excellence.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface, Osimhen’s friend and fellow Super Eagles star, was among the first to join in the plaudits. Reacting to Osimhen’s celebratory post, Boniface wrote: “The best ever.”
Super Eagles captain Wiliam Troost-Ekong conveyed his thoughts in two fire emoji.
Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie smartly coined the name ‘Goal-simhen‘ and a crown emoji implying the forward is a king.
Nigeria’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations-winning midfielder Ogenyi Onazi wrote: “Goals na water.”
Super Eagles and Chippa United goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali also commented: “Goal machine.”
With Osimhen in top form, Galatasaray remain on course for a league and cup double this season.
For Mourinho and Fenerbahce, however, the defeat was a bitter blow as the Portuguese coach looks set to finish his maiden campaign at the club without a trophy.