By Milcah Tanimu
Victor Osimhen showed great sportsmanship on Sunday by dedicating his brace to injured Galatasaray teammate Mauro Icardi after their 3-2 victory over Samsunspor in the Turkish Super Lig.
The Nigerian striker gave his team an early lead in the 3rd minute and restored their advantage in the 55th minute, shortly after Jules Ntcham equalized for the visitors with a penalty.
Osimhen celebrated his second goal by raising Icardi’s shirt in front of the fans at RAMS Park in Istanbul. The 25-year-old’s brace took his tally to six goals in as many league matches and eight in nine appearances across all competitions since joining the Turkish champions on a season-long loan from Napoli in September.
Alongside Icardi and Dries Mertens, Osimhen has helped form a formidable attacking trio at Galatasaray. However, the club announced on Sunday that Icardi, 31, will undergo surgery after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during their 3-2 Europa League win over Tottenham Hotspur on Friday. Icardi had already missed several games this season due to a previous muscle injury.
The club confirmed that Icardi had undergone MRI examinations, which revealed a rupture of the ACL in his right knee and meniscus damage. Although scheduled for surgery, the Argentine has already begun rehabilitation.
Despite the setback, Galatasaray remains in strong form, sitting at the top of the Turkish Super Lig and in third place in the Europa League standings.
