Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool: Slot searching for answers after another setback | OneFootball

Galatasaray defeated Liverpool 1-0 in the Champions League, with Victor Osimhen’s penalty condemning the Reds to back-to-back defeats for only the second time under Arne Slot.

The Nigerian striker calmly converted from the spot in the 16th minute to give the Turkish side the lead going into the break.

The Reds pressed for an equaliser in the second half but came up short, slipping to their second straight defeat after losing to Crystal Palace at the weekend.

As it happened

In a thrilling encounter in Istanbul on Tuesday evening, Liverpool suffered their first Champions League defeat of the season against Galatasaray.

The breakthrough came in the 16th minute after Barış Alper Yılmaz was struck in the face by Dominik Szoboszlai, earning the hosts a penalty. Osimhen calmly converted, firing past Alisson Becker to give Galatasaray the lead. Liverpool’s problems did not end there; despite dominating possession, their defence was sloppy, and their attack lacked cutting edge.

Slot added to the frustration with his team selection, controversially leaving star players Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak on the bench until late in the second half. The changes came too late to spark a turnaround, and questions are being raised over Slot’s ability to produce a cohesive, threatening starting XI.

Osimhen continued to torment Liverpool’s back line throughout the game, coming close on two further occasions.

Galatasaray, buoyed by their strong start in the Super Lig, will take confidence from this victory as they look to make their mark in the Champions League.

For Liverpool, the evening grew worse when Alisson Becker was forced off in the 56th minute with a suspected injury, replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Slot later confirmed the Brazilian will miss Saturday’s clash with Chelsea, though the extent of the problem remains unclear. Hugo Ekitike also left the field injured, further depleting Liverpool’s attack.

The Reds thought they had a lifeline in stoppage time when Ibrahima Konaté went down in the box under a challenge from Wilfried Singo. The defender insisted he had been kicked deliberately, but after a VAR review, Liverpool’s penalty appeal was dismissed, extinguishing any hopes of an equaliser.

While injuries undoubtedly played a role, Liverpool’s lacklustre performance and failure to create clear chances underlined deeper concerns. With two defeats in a row, pressure is mounting on Arne Slot to find solutions quickly.

The lineups

GAL: Çakır; Singo, Sánchez, Bardakçı, Jacobs, Torreira, Lemina, Akgün, Gündoğan, Yılmaz; Osimhen