Galatasaray clinched a nerve-wracking 4-3 victory over Swedish side Elfsborg on Wednesday in their UEFA Europa League clash, despite a shaky second half where they conceded three goals at home.
The Turkish giants dominated early, creating chances through Mauro Icardi, Victor Osimhen and Barış Alper Yılmaz, but were initially thwarted by Elfsborg’s sharp goalkeeper Isak Pettersson.
Their breakthrough came in the 28th minute when Icardi netted the opener.
Pettersson’s unlucky own goal in the 39th minute widened the gap, and Barış Alper’s strike just before the break gave Galatasaray a commanding 3-0 lead at halftime.
However, the second half told a different story.
Elfsborg came out firing, with Niklas Hult pulling one back in the 52nd minute, followed by a penalty from Michael Baidoo in the 65th, narrowing the score to 3-2.
Galatasaray, now under pressure and struggling to contain Elfsborg’s attacks, found relief when Yunus Akgün restored their two-goal cushion in the 83rd minute with a composed finish to make it 4-2.
In the dying moments, Johan Larsson’s goal in the 90+2 minute reignited tension, making it 4-3.
Galatasaray seemed to have sealed the win with Michy Batshuayi’s last-minute strike, but VAR intervention ruled it offside, leaving fans on the edge of their seats.
Despite the late drama, Galatasaray secured their second win in the competition, remaining unbeaten with seven points from three games.
Elfsborg, meanwhile, left Istanbul with their second defeat in the tournament, keeping them at three points.
This victory marked Galatasaray’s first-ever home win against a Swedish team in European competitions.
Having met Swedish clubs eight times since their European debut in 1956, the Istanbul side had only managed one previous win, back in 1976 on Swedish soil.
With two draws and two losses at home, this triumph over Elfsborg ended that winless streak.
Galatasaray's latest success extends their impressive run in the UEFA Europa League.
Over their last 17 games, the Turkish side has only lost twice, winning eight and drawing seven, showcasing their growing strength on the European stage.
With this win, Galatasaray stretched their unbeaten streak to 10 matches across all competitions.
Since their last defeat against Young Boys in the UEFA Champions League playoffs, the team has collected six wins and one draw in the Turkish Süper Lig, alongside two victories and one draw in the Europa League.
Argentine star Mauro Icardi continued his blistering form, netting his 61st goal for Galatasaray, tying him with Czech striker Milan Baros as the club’s second-highest-scoring foreign player.
The 31-year-old has now scored in four of his last six appearances, contributing five goals.
Galatasaray academy product Yunus Akgün has been unstoppable in the Europa League, finding the net in all three of the team’s group-stage matches.
With two league goals and three in Europe, the young winger is establishing himself as a key player this season.
Barış Alper Yılmaz finally got his first European goal for Galatasaray.
After four seasons and 122 appearances, the 24-year-old forward opened his European account in his 24th match, capping off a solid performance.
In a tense finish, Michy Batshuayi’s potential match-sealing goal in the 90+5 minute was disallowed after a VAR review revealed the Belgian striker was offside.
This came after Johan Larsson’s late goal had already set the stage for a dramatic finale.
Elfsborg’s second goal came after a controversial VAR decision.
In the 60th minute, a handball by Barış Alper Yılmaz was spotted following a 3-minute 40-second review, resulting in a penalty that Baidoo converted.
