Victor Osimhen scored twice as Galatasaray were held to a 2-2 draw by newly promoted Çorum FK in their Süper Lig opener at RAMS Park on Friday. The result represents a setback for the defending champions, particularly with Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor among the teams expected to challenge for the title this season.
Osimhen broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute, collecting Lucas Torreira’s looping pass before finishing into the bottom corner from a tight angle. Çorum FK, playing their first-ever Süper Lig match, responded almost immediately. Alexandros Kyziridis produced a stunning long-range effort in the 59th minute to score the club’s first-ever Süper Lig goal, before Jesús Ramírez capitalised on a poor back pass from Davinson Sánchez to make it 2-1 a minute later.
The game changed again in the 70th minute when Kyziridis was shown a straight red card, leaving the visitors with ten men for the remainder of the contest. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Çorum survived the champions’ pressure and came extremely close to taking all three points in stoppage time.
Osimhen produced the decisive moment again in the 90th minute, rising to head Gabriel Sara’s corner into the bottom-left corner to complete his brace and rescue a point for Galatasaray. The champions pushed for a winner during seven added minutes, but Marcos Felipe made crucial saves to help the visitors leave the Turkish capital with a famous point against the champions.
Osimhen entered the new campaign in strong form, having scored 15 Süper Lig goals last season, including a brace against Antalyaspor in May and a goal against Fenerbahçe in April. His performance against Çorum extended that scoring form into the new season despite the result.
Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk addressed the media after the draw, with the brace described as the standout individual contribution of the match, underlining Osimhen’s importance to the club’s campaign ahead of a demanding season. Buruk’s side will now turn their attention to an away trip against Erzurumspor, another club making its Süper Lig debut this season.
Galatasaray entered the 2026/27 campaign as overwhelming favourites, having won the Turkish title last season with a squad considerably stronger than their newly promoted opponents, but their defensive vulnerability throughout the contest has already provided an early warning that retaining the title will not be straightforward.
In addition, the arrival of Mohammed Salah at Trabzonspor, Romelu Lukaku and Mason Greenwood at Fenerbache means the reigning champions will be pushed to the limit or beyond in the race for the title this season.
