Category: Soccer

Reigning Premier League champions and league leaders may be held to higher standards but concerns grow for Liverpool. Arne Slot’s side suffered back-to-back defeats after falling to Galatasaray in Istanbul. Their performance may trouble Liverpool’s head coach greater than the result. Liverpool were short on ideas and again suspect defensively as they were beaten by Victor Osimhen’s first-half penalty. Defeat could have been heavier had the Galatasaray striker not squandered two clear openings early in the second half and it needed the 62nd minute introduction of Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak to inject direction into the Liverpool attack. Despite a quiet start to the season by his standards, and the opportunity for more rotation from Slot following a summer of heavy investment, the absence of Salah from a Liverpool starting lineup still contains the capacity to surprise. Galatasaray had won only one of their last 18 Champions League group games prior to Liverpool’s visit and none of their last seven European ties. From the backing of an impassioned crowd to the wild commitment of their players, the champions of Turkey were determined to make amends. Hugo Ekitike steered a free header wide from Cody Gakpo’s cross as the visitors attempted to silence the din. Gakpo created another opening for Ekitiké when slipping him through with a neat pass. Ugurcan Cakir, like Alisson before him, stood tall and saved with his legs only for the rebound to fall to Gakpo. Yilmaz had been caught in the face by Szoboszlai’s trailing hand — it was more of a stroke of the stubble than a proper slap — but the referee Clément Turpin immediately pointed to the spot. Osimhen drilled the spot kick straight down the centre of Alisson’s goal. Liverpool dominated possession and outnumbered the Galatasaray defence on several counterattacks without turning promise into genuine opportunity. Cakir saved from Wirtz at close range, desperate defending prevented Ekitike and Milos Kerkez converting at the resulting corner and Konate put a free header wide at the near post. But Slot’s side were unconvincing at the back and almost punished again when Osimhen dispossessed Ryan Gravenberch before being tripped by the midfielder just outside the Liverpool area. The £65m striker felt he was denied a clear goalscoring opportunity but Gravenberch was punished with a yellow card. Osimhen, a disruptive force all night, was gifted a chance to double the hosts’ lead by a mix-up between Konaté and Gravenberch. A tame shot was easily gathered by Alisson, but the Liverpool keeper was injured in the process and had to be replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili. Alisson’s replacement was not troubled once Osimhen departed injury. Neither was Cakir, however, despite Liverpool penning Galatasaray in during the closing stages.