Photo File: Victor-Osimhen

Victor Osimhen’s two goals propelled Galatasaray to a 3-1 win against Bodø/Glimt in their UEFA Champions League clash on Wednesday, marking the Turkish side’s second consecutive European victory after a long drought having won just once in their previous 18 main-draw matches.

The electrified crowd at RamsPark erupted just three minutes into the match as Mario Lemina slid a precise pass to Osimhen, who calmly finished past Bodø/Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikin.

Bodø/Glimt struggled to contain Osimhen’s relentless pressure, with the striker narrowly missing two headed attempts from Leroy Sané crosses. Though the visitors managed to build some possession and attack phases, they failed to seriously test Galatasaray’s goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır.

Osimhen’s threat was evident again when he pounced on a loose ball after Odin Bjørtuft’s poor clearance from an Ismail Jakobs cross, only to be denied by Haikin’s sharp save.

But in the 33rd minute, Osimhen capitalized on a careless backpass from Fredrik André Bjørkan, rounding Haikin to slot the ball into an empty net.

Bodø/Glimt responded before halftime with Jens Petter Hauge firing wide and Sondre Brunstad Fet hitting the post after dispossessing Roland Sallai.

The second half saw Bodø/Glimt pushing forward, with Bjørkan’s ambitious run leading to a blocked shot from Sondre Auklend. Yet Galatasaray’s dominance continued, as Osimhen and Yunus Akgün both missed shooting chances before Leroy Sané was thwarted once again.

In a swift break, Osimhen dispossessed Haitam Aleesami near the box, setting up Akgün to score on his second attempt, extending Galatasaray’s lead.

Bodø/Glimt pulled one back in the 76th minute when Andreas Helmersen headed in Bjørkan’s cross, but the victory was never in doubt. Galatasaray secured their 21st win in their last 23 games across all competitions, rebounding impressively from their heavy opening-day loss to Eintracht Frankfurt.

The win ended Bodø/Glimt’s five-game unbeaten run in European league phase matches, leaving the Norwegians with just two points.

Osimhen, 26, now holds the record for scoring in the most consecutive European matches for Galatasaray, surpassing former striker Burak Yılmaz, who netted in six straight games in 2012. Yılmaz has since retired and manages Gaziantep.

The former Napoli forward, who scored 37 goals and made seven assists in 41 appearances last season before signing a permanent four-year deal in August, had previously scored in consecutive European fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur, AZ Alkmaar, Dynamo Kiev, Ajax, and Liverpool.

Galatasaray, under manager Okan Buruk, now boast two wins and one loss in their opening three Champions League matches, strengthening their position in the group standings.