Galatasaray put on a dominant display to defeat Olimpija Ljubljana 3-0 in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers third round on Tuesday.
Kerem Aktürkoğlu opened the scoring in the ninth minute, and Dries Mertens doubled the lead in the second half. Halil Dervişoğlu sealed the victory with a late goal.
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Galatasaray were in control of the match from the start and created several chances. Aktürkoğlu finally broke the deadlock with a fine finish, and Mertens added a second goal with a powerful strike.
Olimpija Ljubljana tried to fight back, but they were unable to create any clear-cut chances. Dervişoğlu scored the third goal in the 88th minute to seal the victory for Galatasaray.
The win puts Galatasaray in a strong position to progress to the Champions League play-offs. They will face the winner of the match between Klaksvik and Molde in the next round.
Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk was pleased with his team’s performance.
“We played a very good game,” he said. “We created a lot of chances and we deserved to win. We are one step closer to the Champions League.”
The victory is a boost for Galatasaray ahead of their Turkish Super Lig season opener against Hatayspor on Saturday.
Individual brilliance
A number of Galatasaray players stood out in the victory over Olimpija Ljubljana.
Aktürkoğlu was excellent throughout the match, and his goal was a highlight. Mertens was also impressive, and his goal was a reminder of his quality.
Dervişoğlu scored the third goal, and he was a threat throughout the match.
Barış Alper was also outstanding, and he created both of Galatasaray’s first two goals.
Icardi on the bench
Mauro Icardi was on the bench for Galatasaray, but he made an impact when he came on. He showed glimpses of his quality, and he will be a valuable asset for the team if he can stay fit.
UEFA country score ranking
Galatasaray’s victory over Olimpija Ljubljana helped Turkiye to move up to 11th place in the UEFA country score ranking. They are now just one point behind Austria in 10th place.
This is a significant achievement for Galatasaray, and it shows that they are a force to be reckoned with in European football.
