Galatasaray Take First-Leg Edge Over Liverpool in Champions League Last 16

By Bosphorus News Sports Desk

Galatasaray beat Liverpool 1-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie on March 10, with Mario Lemina’s early diving header giving the Turkish side a narrow but important advantage in Istanbul. Reuters reported that Lemina scored in the seventh minute after Victor Osimhen headed a corner back across goal, setting the tone for a tense night in which both teams also had goals ruled out.

The result leaves the tie open but gives Galatasaray a lead to protect before the return leg. Liverpool thought they had found a late equaliser, only for VAR to rule the goal out for handball in the build-up. Former referee Mark Clattenburg backed that decision after the match, saying the intervention was correct because the ball struck Ibrahima Konaté’s arm before the finish.

The night also carried a political and emotional undertone in the away end. A large banner displayed by Liverpool supporters carried Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s words, “Peace at home, peace in the world,” a message that stood out amid the intensity of a Champions League knockout match. The image circulated widely after the final whistle and added a striking visual moment to an already charged evening.

UEFA’s official match page lists the second leg for March 18 at Anfield, where Liverpool will try to overturn the deficit and Galatasaray will look to finish the job away from home.