Galatasaray secured a 2-0 victory over German side VfB Stuttgart in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, with Aleksey Batrakov scoring twice in the first half.
The Turkish champions made a flying start at Rams Park Stadium, taking control of the encounter through Batrakov’s quickfire double.
The midfielder opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a right-footed effort into the top corner before doubling Galatasaray’s advantage three minutes later.
He capitalised on a superb long pass from Davinson Sanchez to beat the Stuttgart defence and find the net again.
Stuttgart struggled to recover from the early setback but came close to reducing the deficit when Jamie Leweling struck the woodwork in the first half.
The visitors also suffered an injury setback as Atakan Karazor was forced off in the 18th minute.
Galatasaray goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir played a crucial role in preserving his side’s advantage, producing five saves, including two important stops, as Stuttgart increased the pressure after the break.
Despite creating several opportunities, Stuttgart failed to find a way past Cakir.
The German side recorded five shots on target and created four big chances but were unable to convert any of them.
Galatasaray, meanwhile, remained organised defensively, with Davinson Sanchez and Abdülkerim Bardakci making important interventions to frustrate the visitors and secure all three points.
Batrakov emerged as the standout performer, completing his brace before being substituted in the 77th minute, while Cakir’s impressive display ensured Galatasaray maintained their two-goal advantage until the final whistle.
