OGUN, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Galatasaray seized total control of their Champions League knockout play-off tie with a sensational 5-2 victory over Juventus, overcoming a first-half deficit to leave the Italian giants in disarray.
The Turkish champions will travel to Turin with a commanding three-goal cushion following a frenetic evening in Istanbul that saw momentum swing wildly before a second-half red card doomed the visitors.
The match exploded into life early when Gabriel Sara gave the hosts the lead. However, Juventus responded with a clinical 17-minute blitz, as Teun Koopmeiners netted a quick-fire double to send the Serie A side into the break with a 2-1 lead.
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Unfazed, Okan Buruk’s men emerged for the second half with renewed intensity. By the hour mark, Galatasaray had flipped the script again. Noa Lang equalized before defender Davinson Sánchez powered home a header to make it 3-2, sending the RAMS Park crowd into a frenzy.
The 5-2 result leaves Juventus facing a monumental task in the return leg. While the “Old Lady” will have home-field advantage on Wednesday, February 25, they must overturn a three-goal deficit against a Galatasaray side currently playing with immense confidence and clinical efficiency.