Galatasaray's formidable striker, Victor Osimhen, had declared his unwavering readiness to confront Fenerbahçe in the highly anticipated Istanbul derby. Having fully recovered from a hamstring injury sustained during international duty with Nigeria, the 26-year-old had returned to full training on Friday. Osimhen, who had previously missed Galatasaray’s last two matches against Istanbul Başakşehir and Union Saint-Gilloise, expressed his commitment to the team, stating, “I know the importance of the Fenerbahçe derby and what it means to the fans. I experienced this excitement last season. Galatasaray signed me for such big matches. If necessary, I will take risks and go out on the field and give my all.”

In the subsequent Super Lig Istanbul Derby, Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe indeed shared the spoils, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw, marking Victor Osimhen's first game back from injury. Osimhen played the full 90 minutes, despite not performing at his usual prolific level, a testament to his fitness after his Super Eagles duty injury layoff. The match itself was a stiffly contested affair from the outset, characterized by a cagey and competitive atmosphere.

Galatasaray managed to break the deadlock in the 27th minute when Leroy Sane capitalized on space on the left wing, following a precise pass from Baris Alper Yilmaz. Sane fired a low shot into the bottom-left corner, beating the goalkeeper Ederson. This goal had been brewing, as Sane had threatened moments earlier. Following the interval, Fenerbahçe intensified their press for an equalizer but struggled to carve out clear-cut opportunities until the dying stages of the game.

Victor Osimhen was largely contained throughout the match, with Milan Skriniar and his defensive counterparts effectively keeping him at bay. The Nigeria international was limited to just one shot on target and was caught offside twice. As Galatasaray sought to protect their lead, they adopted a more defensive posture for much of the second half, enduring wave after wave of attacks from Fenerbahçe. The persistence of Fenerbahçe eventually paid off in the sixth minute of stoppage time when Jhon Duran dramatically finished a late, frantic sequence of play to level the score at 1–1.

Despite Fenerbahçe's late push for a winning goal, Galatasaray managed to hold on for the draw, securing a crucial point that ensured they maintained their position at the top of the league table, one point ahead of their rivals. Osimhen's return, though quiet in terms of individual statistics, saw him complete a full match in one of the most high-stakes fixtures of the season.