It was a night to forget for Liverpool, as Victor Osimhen’s first-half penalty gave Galatasaray a 1-0 victory in Istanbul, leaving Arne Slot’s side staring at back-to-back defeats in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

The game had everything—missed chances, defensive errors, injuries to key men Alisson Becker and Hugo Ekitike, and a controversial late VAR intervention that denied Liverpool a penalty. But in the end, Slot’s men left empty-handed, looking fragile ahead of a crunch Premier League fixture against Chelsea.

A chaotic opening half

Slot surprised many by starting without Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak, opting instead for Jeremie Frimpong in an advanced role. The gamble backfired early. Liverpool were exposed down the right flank by Barış Alper Yılmaz, whose blistering pace left Dominik Szoboszlai struggling.

After Liverpool squandered a huge chance through Ekitike—whose hesitation allowed Uğurcan Çakır and Ismail Jakobs to combine for a goal-line clearance—Galatasaray struck just 23 seconds later. Szoboszlai’s careless arm caught Yılmaz, referee Clément Turpin pointed to the spot, and Osimhen coolly converted down the middle to give the hosts the lead.

Missed chances and mounting pressure

Liverpool’s profligacy defined the night. Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Ibrahima Konaté all wasted big opportunities, as the Reds racked up more than 1.19 expected goals in the first half alone without scoring.

The second half brought more frustration. Ekitike’s close-range flick was brilliantly denied by Çakır, while Konaté almost gifted Galatasaray a second with a dreadful square pass. Though Alisson saved Osimhen’s follow-up, the Brazilian immediately limped off, adding to Liverpool’s injury woes. Moments later, Ekitike also pulled up, forcing Slot into more reshuffles.

VAR denies Liverpool a lifeline

There was brief hope when Konaté went down under pressure from Wilfried Singo, with Turpin initially awarding a penalty. But VAR replays clearly showed Singo got the ball cleanly, leaving Liverpool furious but with little grounds for complaint.

As the final whistle blew, Slot’s side were left staring at consecutive defeats for the first time since his arrival—a worrying trend for a team that just weeks ago sat top of the Premier League table.

Post-match reactions: frustration and defiance

A visibly frustrated Arne Slot told Amazon Prime:

“We’re disappointed again. Football is about winning. We lost two in a row, but the performance was very different from the weekend. We controlled the game, created chances, but in big moments we weren’t smart enough.”

Club captain Virgil van Dijk echoed the sentiment but urged calm:

“I hate losing. There shouldn’t be panic, but there should be willingness to improve. We must stick together and cut out silly mistakes.”

The bigger picture

Liverpool’s injury list is growing at the worst possible time. Alisson’s potential absence looms large, with Chelsea away next weekend, while Ekitike’s setback leaves their frontline stretched. Add in Salah’s dip in form and Konaté’s shaky defending, and questions are mounting about whether Slot’s squad has the depth to handle the season’s grueling schedule.

For Galatasaray, it was a landmark night—their first home win in the Champions League in seven years—fueled by Osimhen’s ruthless penalty and the atmosphere of a raucous RAMS Park crowd.

Liverpool still sit near the top of the domestic table, but cracks are appearing. If Slot cannot steady the ship soon, this rough patch could spiral into something far worse.
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