Familiar tale for Slot after Lemina gives Galatasaray edge over Liverpool

Liverpool leave Istanbul with a result that is salvageable, but they were distinctly second best for the first three-quarters of the last-16 first leg. Mario Lemina’s early header gave Galatasaray the lead and allowed the hosts to play to their strengths: breezy, quick counterattacks that troubled Liverpool down the flanks.

Arne Slot had warned his side struggle to create from open play and the match felt like an indictment of that problem; set-pieces were the clearest route to a goal for both teams. Slot also complained about how often the referee awarded fouls in the crowded six-yard box, saying: “Every corner or free-kick if we only look at a Galatasaray player the referee gave a free-kick,” and contrasting that with a shirt-pull on Virgil van Dijk that went unpunished.

The goal came when Gabriel Sara’s corner found Victor Osimhen at the back post; Alexis Mac Allister was marking him but Osimhen’s leap carried the ball across goal for Lemina to nod in.

Turkey, Istanbul

liverpool, galatasaray, mario lemina, victor osimhen, mac allister, van dijk, arne slot, istanbul, set pieces, corner