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Galatasaray beat Lille 4-2 for first Champions League win

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Galatasaray beat Lille 4-2 for first Champions League win

Galatasaray beat Lille 4-2 in France in the Champions League’s third round of matches, claiming their first win of the season in the competition. Both teams had lost their opening two fixtures and entered the match without a point.

Yunus Akgün put Galatasaray ahead in the second minute after Barış Alper Yılmaz’s cross was not cleared by Lille defender Alexsandro. Lille replied five minutes later: Alexsandro sent Soriba Diaoune through, and the forward rounded goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır to score.

Diaoune scored again in the 39th minute, finishing after Çakır pushed away Dilane Bakwa’s effort. Galatasaray levelled before half-time when Roland Sallai crossed from the right and Aleksei Batrakov headed in.

Lucas Torreira restored Galatasaray’s lead seven minutes after the break, glancing in Gabriel Sara’s corner. Victor Osimhen made it 4-2 in the 61st minute, finishing a counterattack after combining with Yılmaz. Osimhen, who previously played for Lille, did not celebrate the goal.

Galatasaray held onto the lead to secure the win. The result gave the Turkish side its first points of this Champions League campaign.

Lille coach Davide Ancelotti said his team had not performed well enough and pointed to lost duels in the build-up to Galatasaray’s first two goals. He said defensive mistakes in the competition could carry a heavy cost.

Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk called it an important away victory. He said his side kept trying to play its game after going ahead and then falling behind, and praised the support from Galatasaray fans at Pierre Mauroy Stadium.

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