Both of Victor Osimhen's goals came before half-time, but the final whistle brought confrontations on the pitch.
Victor Osimhen scored both goals as Galatasaray beat Fenerbahce 2-1 in the Istanbul derby at RAMS Park on Monday, moving the hosts back to the top of the Turkish Super Lig. The Nigeria striker put Galatasaray ahead in the 29th minute after a pass from Baris Alper Yilmaz, and headed in the second in the 44th.
It was the first league meeting between the two clubs this season. Irfan Can Kahveci pulled one back for Fenerbahce in the 62nd minute with a bicycle kick, but the hosts held on.
The celebrations at the final whistle turned into confrontations on the pitch. Fenerbahce's Archie Brown and Galatasaray's Abdülkerim Bardakçi were among those involved as others tried to separate them. Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk said: "I wish these were things that didn't have to happen, because the match itself went by quite cleanly." He added that "The necessary penalties regarding this will be given."
Osimhen's brace took his tally to five goals in six appearances against Fenerbahce. In those games he has never lost: he won four and drew two.
Osimhen looked beyond the derby.
"Winning derbies is important if you want to become champions," he said in his post-game interview.
He said the team wants to lift every trophy, whatever the competition. Osimhen also credited the home crowd: "Our supporters unsettled the opposition and gave us tremendous support."
The win came at a sensitive time for Osimhen, who had faced criticism from some sections of the fanbase in the days before the match. Speaking to GS TV after the final whistle, he said: "There were discussions before the match this week. I love this club. I always say it. I will give everything for this club. I don't care about social media."
Osimhen also spoke about midfielder Aleksey Batrakov, who joined Galatasaray from Lokomotiv Moscow in August on a five-year contract. "Batrakov is an exceptional, incredible player and an incredible person." Osimhen said he had studied the midfielder's earlier games: "I watched Batrakov's previous matches. We talk before games, and I have come to understand what he will do depending on where I move," he said.
Osimhen had seven shots in the match, three on target, and converted two of them. This season he has six goals and three assists in six league appearances.
Fenerbahce remain fifth in the standings, with one win in their previous four league matches.
Galatasaray's next stop is a league trip to Konyaspor in Konya.
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