Victor Osimhen scored a sensational hat-trick as Galatasaray handed Ajax their fourth consecutive defeat in this season’s UEFA Champions League.
The Nigerian striker took his European tally to six goals for the campaign, opening the scoring in the 59th minute before converting two penalties to complete his treble as the match ended 3-0 at the Johan Cruijff Arena stadium, Amsterdam city, on Wednesday, November 5.
With the hat-trick, Osimhen reached 25 goals in European competitions, surpassing former Inter Milan and Newcastle United forward Obafemi Martins to become Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in Europe.
The 26-year-old now leads the Champions League scoring chart, one goal ahead of Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappé.
Ajax held firm in the first half, largely thanks to goalkeeper Remko Pasveer, who produced two outstanding saves to deny Osimhen. But after the restart, the Super Eagles star broke the deadlock, darting in front of Josip Šutalo to head home Leroy Sané’s pinpoint cross.
Ajax’s night unraveled when the referee awarded two penalties against them — both for handball offences.
Osimhen calmly dispatched the first spot-kick after a VAR review confirmed that the ball had deflected off Youri Baas’s leg onto his arm. Moments later, he sealed his hat-trick with another emphatic penalty, blasting into the top-right corner after Anton Gaaei was penalized.
The result leaves Ajax rooted to the bottom of the group table, having lost all four Champions League fixtures this season by an aggregate score of 14–1.
Galatasaray, meanwhile, climbed to ninth in the league phase standings and edged closer to securing a top-eight finish, which guarantees automatic qualification for the knockout round.
