Galatasaray move top of Turkish league after four-goal win over Erzurumspor

Galatasaray recorded their first victory of the season by beating Erzurumspor 4-0 to move temporarily to the top of the Turkish league after the second round of matches.

The result lifted Galatasaray to four points, following their unexpected 2-2 draw with newly promoted Corum in the opening round. Their emphatic success against Erzurumspor means they now lead the standings, although their position is only provisional at this stage of the competition.

Galatasaray established control before half-time, scoring three times in a dominant opening 45 minutes. Hungary international Roland Sallai broke the deadlock in the 18th minute, giving the home side an early advantage.

Eight minutes later, Yunus Akgun doubled Galatasaray’s lead. The second goal increased the pressure on Erzurumspor and left Galatasaray firmly in command before the interval.

Victor Osimhen then added a third goal in the 45th minute, completing a three-goal first-half performance for Galatasaray. The Nigeria international struck again in the 79th minute to complete the scoring and secure a convincing victory.

Osimhen’s second goal also brought him into the Galatasaray record books. He became the second player since Mario Jardel in the 2000-01 season to score four goals in the opening two rounds of the Turkish league while wearing the club’s shirt.

The forward had already scored twice in Galatasaray’s first two league matches, and his double against Erzurumspor took his total for the opening rounds to four. Only Jardel had previously achieved the same feat for the club since the 2000-01 campaign.

For Galatasaray, the victory provided a strong response to the disappointment of dropping points against Corum in their first match. The 2-2 draw against the newly promoted side had been a major surprise, but the four-goal performance against Erzurumspor delivered the club’s first win of the season.

Galatasaray now have four points from their opening two matches and sit at the summit on a temporary basis. Their position will depend on the results of the remaining fixtures in the second round, but the result against Erzurumspor ensures they enter the next stage of the campaign with their first victory secured.

Sallai’s opener, Akgun’s quick second and Osimhen’s goals either side of half-time gave Galatasaray a comfortable margin throughout the match. The final score also underlined the difference between the two teams on the day, with Galatasaray turning their early opportunities into a decisive win.