Galatasaray displayed resilience Tuesday, securing a hard-fought 2-2 draw in opposition to Lithuania’s Zalgiris of their UEFA Champions League qualifier’s second-round first leg.
With a full of life environment on the small LFF Stadium in Vilnius, the place almost 5,000 followers stuffed the stands, the primary half noticed Galatasaray create many alternatives however struggled to search out the again of the online, resulting in a goalless halftime scoreline.
However, the second half started with an sudden twist as Galatasaray fell behind after conceding a swift counterattack.
Zalgiris’s Mathias Oyewusi capitalized on Victor Nelsson’s mistake within the forty seventh minute, giving the Lithuanian aspect a 1-0 lead.
Determined to show the tables, the Turkish giants rallied and located their rhythm, with Abdülkerim Bardakcı within the seventy fifth minute and Halil Dervişoğlu three minutes after that firing in targets to take a 2-1 lead.
As the match headed into harm time, Galatasaray gave the impression to be edging nearer to victory.
However, in a dramatic flip of occasions, stoppage time purpose by Zalgiris’ Donatas Kazlauskas dashed their hopes, leaving the match degree at 2-2 when the ultimate whistle blew.
For Galatasaray’s newly signed star, Halil Dervişoğlu, it was a memorable debut as he discovered the again of the online in the course of the 78th minute.
The ahead, who spent the 2020-2021 season on mortgage on the membership, has now returned with a everlasting contract, delighting the followers along with his goal-scoring prowess.
However, the thrill was dampened by an unlucky harm to Galatasaray’s current acquisition, Angelino.
The Spanish leftback needed to depart the sector within the 83rd minute after signaling discomfort in his decrease proper calf.
Concerns arose because the 26-year-old obtained medical consideration, and he was later changed by Leo Dubois.
Reflecting on the sport, Galatasaray’s head coach Okan Buruk expressed concern about their defensive efficiency.
Despite creating a number of alternatives, the crew struggled to comprise Zalgiris’ fast-paced counterattacks.
Playing on an artificial discipline additionally posed challenges for Galatasaray, with the opposition being extra accustomed to it.
Buruk emphasised the necessity for a extra strong crew protection, pinpointing some particular person errors of their backline.
He acknowledged that their first match of the Champions League qualifiers was a priceless studying expertise and pledged to come back again stronger within the upcoming second-leg conflict in Istanbul on Aug. 2.
Looking forward to the essential return fixture, Zalgiris’ supervisor, Vladimir Cheburin, labeled the encounter as “interesting” and predicted a fierce battle.
Both groups exhibited moments of brilliance, creating many scoring alternatives, however failed to totally obtain them.
Cheburin recommended Galatasaray’s stature as a formidable aspect and revealed that his crew would analyze the match’s intricacies to enhance their strategy.
With the tie evenly poised, the Lithuanian aspect stays decided to place up a fierce combat in Istanbul, showcasing their crew spirit and giving their all in pursuit of victory.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
