Osimhen’s absence costs Galatasaray dearly: Konyaspor inflict shock defeat on champions

Galatasaray suffered one of the most damaging defeats of their Super Lig title defence on Saturday evening, falling 2-0 to Konyaspor, a side that had not won in twelve matches heading into the game. 

Without Victor Osimhen, the result blew the Turkish title race wide open and delivered a brutal lesson about just how much one man means to this Galatasaray side.

The alarm bells rang before a single ball was kicked. Osimhen, who had been electric in Galatasaray's 5-2 Champions League demolition of Juventus earlier in the week, was a late withdrawal from the travelling squad after reporting continued pain in his right knee. 

The club described the decision as precautionary, a calculated risk designed to protect their most important player for Wednesday's second leg in Turin. It was the right long-term decision. On Saturday night, it felt like the wrong one.

Galatasaray controlled the ball. They finished the match with 62% possession, pushed forward relentlessly, and threw everything they had at a Konyaspor defence that had looked fragile for weeks. On paper, this was supposed to be comfortable.

But football is not played on paper. And without Osimhen, something fundamental was missing.

Mauro Icardi, who had been in the form of his life, including a brilliant hat-trick just last weekend, cut a frustrated and isolated figure throughout the ninety minutes. 

The reason was tactical and painfully obvious. With Osimhen on the pitch, opposition defenders face an impossible problem: focus on the Nigerian and Icardi destroys you, focus on Icardi and Osimhen destroys you. The twin threat creates chaos. Remove one half of it, and the equation becomes simple.

Konyaspor's defensive gameplan was uncomplicated and devastatingly effective. Swarm Icardi. Deny him space. Dare Galatasaray's wingers to beat them. 

The Argentine forward, starved of room and service, finished the match without a single shot on target, the first time that has happened in months. 

Leroy Sane and Roland Sallai, usually dangerous in the pockets Osimhen's movement creates, found nothing but organised resistance.

Galatasaray dominated. They created almost nothing.

Konyaspor barely needed to attack. But when they did, they were clinical.

In the 75th minute, Adil Demirbag punished Galatasaray's defensive lapse from a corner, rising to power a header past the goalkeeper and send the home crowd into scenes of genuine disbelief. 

Six minutes later, as Galatasaray pushed desperately for an equaliser, they were caught cold. A surgical counter-attack ended with Blaz Kramer doubling the lead and the contest was over.

Two shots. Two goals. Zero mercy.

Galatasaray remain at the top of the Super Lig, but the gap has narrowed and the vulnerability has been exposed. A team built around a dual-threat system is only as strong as both threats. Take one away and the architecture collapses.