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Galatasaray secured its 19th Turkish Cup title after a commanding 3-0 victory over Trabzonspor in the Ziraat Turkish Cup final on Wednesday.
The match, held at Kalyon Stadium in Gaziantep, saw Galatasaray take an early lead when Baris Alper Yilmaz found the net in the 5th minute. The Istanbul-based club extended its advantage in the second half as Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen scored twice, in the 46th and 63rd minutes, sealing the win. He was later named "Player of the Match" by sports writers.
Osimhen, 26, received his award from Alpaslan Cakar, General Manager of Ziraat Bank. The striker’s impact proved decisive not only in the final but throughout the season.
With his two goals in the final, Osimhen reached 35 goals in 39 official matches, setting a new record for most goals scored in a single season by a foreign player in Türkiye. He surpassed former Galatasaray striker Mario Jardel’s long-standing record of 34 goals. Osimhen has scored 24 goals in the Super Lig, 5 in the Turkish Cup, and 6 in the UEFA Europa League this season.
Initially signed on loan from Italy's Napoli, Osimhen’s dominance has sparked calls from Galatasaray supporters for the club to purchase his rights permanently. Chants of "The fans have gone crazy, they want Osimhen" echoed around the stadium during the closing moments..
Meanwhile, Trabzonspor struggled to break through Galatasaray's defense, despite several attempts throughout the game. Yunus Akgun played a pivotal role, assisting all three goals.
Galatasaray's victory adds another trophy to its collection and reinforces its status as one of Türkiye's most decorated clubs.
The win marks Galatasaray’s first Turkish Cup title since the 2018–19 season, when it defeated Akhisarspor. The team had failed to advance past the quarterfinals in the subsequent four editions and was eliminated in the fifth round in 2021–22. This triumph ends a five-season drought in Türkiye's domestic cup competition.
The final marked the fourth Turkish Cup showdown between Galatasaray and Trabzonspor — and Galatasaray’s third win in those encounters. The rivals previously met in the finals of the 1975–76, 1984–85, and 1994–95 seasons. Galatasaray emerged victorious in 1976 on penalties and again in 1985 with a win and a draw. Trabzonspor claimed the 1995 title with two straight wins. With the 3-0 victory on Wednesday, Galatasaray now leads the head-to-head in Turkish Cup finals 3-1.
Galatasaray extended its unbeaten run to eight matches across all competitions, dating back to a 2-1 defeat to Besiktas on March 29. Since then, the club has defeated Reeder Samsunspor, Sipay Bodrum FK, Eyupspor, Sivasspor, and Trabzonspor in the league. In the Turkish Cup, they ousted Fenerbahce (2-1), TUMOSAN Konyaspor (5-1), and Trabzonspor (3-0), scoring 25 goals and conceding just four.
The win also marked Galatasaray’s sixth consecutive victory over Trabzonspor in all competitions. After a 0-0 draw in the first half of the 2022–23 season, Galatasaray claimed five straight league wins — 2-1, 2-0, 5-1, 4-3, and 2-0 — before capping the streak with Wednesday’s 3-0 Cup final triumph.
The Istanbul club completed a clean sweep over Trabzonspor this season. In the Super Lig's 16th week, Galatasaray won 4-3 with goals from Dries Mertens, Yunus Akgun, and Michy Batshuayi. Four days before the final, Galatasaray defeated Trabzonspor 2-0 in the 35th round of the league, with goals from Abdulkadir Bardakci and Alvaro Morata. The Cup final marked the third win over their Black Sea rivals this campaign.
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