Osimhen sparks Galatasaray’s revival in high‑scoring Rennes friendly

Baris Yilmaz’s 94th‑minute penalty sealed a 3‑3 draw for Galatasaray Play Rennes on Sunday, capping a French friendly that featured six goals and a dramatic finish. The late spot‑kick ensured the encounter ended level after a burst of attacking play.

Victor Osimhen opened the scoring in the 18th minute, giving Galatasaray the early advantage and highlighting his season tally of 15 goals and five assists in 22 league appearances.

Esteban Lepaul answered nine minutes later, restoring parity for Rennes, and he again levelled the score before the break, leaving the first half at 1‑1.

Galatasaray entered the friendly after three winless pre‑season outings, having suffered a 2‑0 defeat to Monza and a 3‑0 loss to Venezia, which exposed defensive frailties the Turkish champions hope to correct ahead of the new campaign.

Four minutes after the restart, Gabriel Sara reclaimed the lead for Galatasaray, putting the Turkish side ahead 2‑1.

Lepaul responded in the 58th minute and completed a penalty‑spot hat‑trick by the 61st minute, levelling the match once more.

The club’s final pre‑season fixture will be against Spanish La Liga side Villarreal next Saturday, before they begin defending their Turkish Super Lig title at home against Corum. Osimhen’s season record of 15 goals and five assists in 22 appearances underscores his importance as Galatasaray look to improve their defensive solidity.