Galatasaray get first win without Victor Osimhen as under-fire coach hits historic milestone

• The Late Rescue: Towering centre-back Abdulkerim Bardakcı emerged as the ultimate hero of the night, scoring a dramatic late goal to break Kocaelispor's stubborn resistance.

• The Osimhen Absence: Galatasaray struggled to find their usual attacking rhythm as they navigated their second consecutive match without the services of the injured African superstar.

• The Historic Milestone: The narrow 1-0 triumph officially saw under-fire manager Okan Buruk break the all-time Super Lig record for the highest win percentage in football history.

Galatasaray on Sunday night recorded a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Kocaelispor in their Super Lig Matchweek 5 encounter at the RAMS Park. 

The defending Turkish champions entered the home fixture operating under immense pressure following a disappointing 3-1 midweek collapse against Portuguese side Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League. 

Still missing their world-class Nigerian talisman Victor Osimhen due to a severe right adductor muscle strain, the Lions struggled heavily to break down a well-drilled opposition defensive line for the majority of the match. 

However, the hosts finally found their breakthrough late in the second half when international centre-back Abdulkerim Bardakcı ghosted into the penalty box to fire home the decisive winner.

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The narrow 1-0 victory did more than just steady the ship for the Istanbul giants; it officially pushed head coach Okan Buruk into the history books of Turkish football. 

Prior to kickoff, Buruk had faced an absolute firestorm of public criticism from furious supporters demanding his immediate resignation over his tactical dependency on individual stars. 

However, the final whistle cemented his legacy as the most statistically dominant manager in top-flight history. 

Following the result, Buruk has now achieved the highest win percentage of any manager in Süper Lig history, successfully winning a staggering 119 out of 149 matches during his high-profile tenure in charge of Galatasaray to log an immaculate 80% success rate.

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Despite the post-match celebrations inside the RAMS Park, local sports media analysts have quickly pointed out that Galatasaray's offensive production remains heavily compromised without their Nigerian anchor. 

The club's backline was forced to work overtime to secure the clean sheet as the frontline heavily missed the explosive vertical acceleration and physical presence that Osimhen brings to the pitch. 

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The 27-year-old Super Eagles icon is currently undergoing an intensive, conservative rehabilitation program following his advanced groin injury, with the medical crew estimating a total three-week layoff. 

While Buruk will savor his historic personal milestone, he faces a delicate tactical puzzle over the coming weeks as he attempts to preserve this record-breaking win percentage without his main weapon.