Osimhen returns from injury and sets up the goal that completes Galatasaray's 3-1 comeback over Kasimpasa

Sometimes a match turns on the minutes you least expect, and that's exactly what happened in Istanbul. Galatasaray had more than three points riding on this one against Kasimpasa: the club needed a bit of good news before hosting Barcelona in the Champions League, and it got just that with the return of its top offensive weapon.

Victor Osimhen stepped back onto the pitch after a month out with injury, and he did it in the best way possible, leaving his mark on the assist for the goal that completed the comeback. Galatasaray ended up winning 3-1, with two goals scored in stoppage time, in a match that had gotten tougher than expected after going down to ten men.

The Nigerian came on from the bench in the 77th minute, replacing Deniz Gul, part of a double substitution that also brought Leroy Sane onto the field. It was his first official match since suffering a groin injury on September 4, and the club had handled his return with great care: medical exams had found a strain and bleeding in the right adductor, so Osimhen had only resumed partial training the previous week before being named in the squad.

The match was anything but straightforward for the home side. Kasimpasa had taken the lead with a goal from Abdulkerim Bardakci in the first half, and although Galatasaray gained a man advantage after Lucas Torreira was sent off in the 63rd minute, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi's equalizer five minutes later left the home fans fearing the points might slip away.

That's when Osimhen stepped in to change the tone of the match. Moments after coming on, he set up a clear chance for Sane and had a shot of his own saved. The push paid off: Baris Alper Yilmaz made it 2-1 in the 90th minute, and six minutes later, deep into stoppage time, Osimhen combined with Mario Lemina, who sealed the final 3-1 scoreline for the Gabonese midfielder.

With the result, Galatasaray moved provisionally to the top of the Turkish Super Lig, with 16 points from seven matches. The team hadn't been in great form coming in: it had lost in the league to Trabzonspor and also fell 3-1 to Sporting Lisbon in its Champions League opener, right in the stretch when it was without its star forward.

Before the injury, Osimhen had been in excellent form to start the season, with six goals in four matches. His absence also hurt the Nigerian national team, which struggled to get past Madagascar and then lost to Guinea-Bissau in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.

Now the question is whether he'll be ready to start on Tuesday against Barcelona. For now, just having him back on the field is good news for a team that needed to see him return. And it's not only Galatasaray that stands to benefit: ahead of the next international window, Nigeria is also hoping to have him back for matches against Tanzania, with Osimhen just two goals away from tying Rashidi Yekini's all-time national team scoring record, and three away from breaking it.