Osimhen scores from the spot as Galatasaray beat Liverpool 1-0

ISTANBUL :Victor Osimhen scored an early penalty as Galatasaray beat an error-prone Liverpool, who lost goalkeeper Alisson and striker Hugo Ekitike to injury, 1-0 in a raucous Champions League clash in Istanbul on Tuesday.

The masked Nigerian striker blasted the ball past a diving Alisson when he stepped up in the 16th minute after Baris Alper Yilmaz went down on being swiped in the face by Dominik Szoboszlai.

Liverpool made three changes to the lineup that suffered a first league defeat of the season by Crystal Palace at the weekend, with Mohamed Salah on the bench along with record signing Alexander Isak.

Both came on in the 62nd minute when Liverpool made a triple substitution, with Salah replacing starter Jeremie Frimpong on the right wing, after Alisson had gone off injured and was replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili in the 56th.

Ekitike, in the starting lineup on his return from a domestic suspension, went off injured in the 68th on a bruising night for the visitors who had their chances but looked alarmingly vulnerable in defence.

SECOND STRAIGHT DEFEAT FOR LIVERPOOL

The win was a first in seven years at home in the Champions League for the Turkish side and a notable one against opponents unbeaten in all competitions until last weekend and now dealt two losses in a row.

Galatasaray could have been in front already in the second minute when Yilmaz caught the defence napping and went one on one with Alisson, who stood firm and shut out the danger.

Liverpool then missed a golden chance of their own in the 13th when Ekitike miscued the ball after getting into a scoring position and Cody Gakpo had a shot cleared off the line on the rebound.

From almost taking the lead, Liverpool found themselves behind seconds later when Osimhen