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Tottenham's Ange Postecoglou has explained what happened to him and his team against Victor Osimhen's Galatasaray.
In the aftermath of a hard-fought Europa League clash, Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou faced the media to dissect his team's 3-2 defeat to Victor Osimhen and Galatasaray.
The match, held in the intimidating atmosphere of Istanbul, was a challenging encounter that tested the resolve of the Spurs squad on Thursday night.
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Postecoglou acknowledged the threat posed by Galatasaray, particularly their star striker Osimhen, who delivered a standout performance.
“We expected it to be a difficult match,” he told UEFA.com, reflecting on the pre-game preparations.
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“They have dangerous players. We lost because we could not show what we wanted in the first half.”
His words resonated with the disappointment felt by players and fans as they had hoped for a better showing against a formidable opponent.
The match began with Galatasaray striking early when Yunus Akgun scored a stunning volley just six minutes in.
Tottenham responded with Will Lankshear netting his first senior goal shortly after, momentarily bringing hope to the traveling fans.
However, Osimhen quickly turned the tide, scoring two goals in quick succession that left Spurs reeling.
“Both teams are doing well in Europe,” Postecoglou noted, but it was clear that his side struggled to keep pace with Galatasaray’s attacking flair.
Despite having moments of promise, Postecoglou who claimed before the game they were not scared of Osimhen and his teammates lamented that his team failed to capitalise on their opportunities in the first half.
“We had good moments in the first half. We found the goal but our opponents played good football,” he reflected.
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The Australian manager's frustration was evident as he described how his team typically finds its rhythm in the second half but could not do so against a relentless Galatasaray side.
As the second half unfolded, Spurs were reduced to ten men when Lankshear received a second yellow card for a reckless challenge.
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Yet even with a man down, Tottenham fought valiantly and managed to pull one back through Dominic Solanke, who scored shortly after coming on as a substitute.
“We did our best, but we were disappointed,” Postecoglou added, capturing the mixed emotions of pride and frustration.
The defeat marked Tottenham's first setback in this season's Europa League campaign, leaving them in seventh place in the new format while Galatasaray climbed to third.
Despite the loss, Postecoglou emphasised that valuable lessons were learned on this challenging night in Istanbul against Nigeria’s Osimhen and his Galatasaray.
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