Paul Onuachu continued his ruthless form in front of goal on Saturday, scoring twice as Trabzonspor defeated Konyaspor 3–1 in the Turkish Super Lig. The Nigerian striker’s brace, his 10th and 11th goals of the season, further cemented his status as the league’s leading scorer and strengthened his claim for a place in Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 squad.
With the tournament kicking off later this month, Onuachu is hitting peak form at exactly the right time.
Onuachu Leads the Charge With a Decisive Double
The Super Eagles forward delivered a complete centre-forward performance, combining clinical finishing with intelligent movement and an impressive work rate. His two goals set the tone early, guiding the Black Sea Storm to another crucial three points in their push for a top-three finish.
Across 90 minutes, Onuachu showed why he remains the heartbeat of Trabzonspor’s attack:
- 17 passes completed
- Two clear chances created
- One tackle made
- Two clearances
- One-ball recovery
It was a display that blended attacking productivity with defensive commitment, the hallmark of a striker fully in rhythm and hungry for more.
Tekke: “A Valuable Three Points”
Trabzonspor head coach Fatih Tekke praised his team’s fighting spirit after the win, choosing not to spotlight individual players despite Onuachu’s heroics.
“First of all, let’s dedicate this to our captain, Edin,” Tekke said. “Congratulations to our supporters and the club for a valuable three points. We have secured an important win.”
He acknowledged that Konyaspor caused problems, especially in the first half.
“In fact, perhaps in many periods they played better than us. They broke our pressing. Defensively, we did not apply the press correctly, and there were mistakes in our positioning,” he admitted.
Tekke credited his players for adjusting after the break:
“The second half was better, more positive. Our pressing improved. The absence of our two most dynamic players, both due to injury, showed we had weaknesses in winning the ball back.”
He concluded by applauding the team’s mentality:
“The positives were coming from behind and playing to win. I believe this desire was at a high level in many of my players. But in terms of performance, we expect better; it has to be this way.”
Onuachu Strengthens AFCON Claim
As Nigeria prepares for AFCON 2025, Onuachu’s form provides coach Eric Chelle with a compelling option up front. With 11 league goals, improved link-up play, and strong match fitness, the 31-year-old is positioning himself as one of Nigeria’s most reliable attacking threats.
If he maintains this level, leaving him out of the Super Eagles squad might become impossible.
