Paul Onuachu once again demonstrated his vital role for both club and country on Saturday by netting his seventh goal of the Turkish Süper Lig season. His strike was instrumental in securing a 2-1 victory for Trabzonspor against Rizespor, according to Soccernet.ng.
The towering Nigerian forward, known for his aerial dominance and physical presence inside the penalty area, has now found the net in four straight league games. His timely goal offers a much-needed boost to Nigeria’s head coach Eric Chelle, who is currently grappling with limited striking options ahead of the crucial World Cup playoff clashes.
Trabzonspor wasted no time imposing their authority at the Çaykur Didi Stadium, with Felipe Augusto opening the scoring inside the opening two minutes. Onuachu then extended the lead 17 minutes later, showcasing his aerial prowess by leaping to meet a precise cross and powering a header past the goalkeeper-his seventh league goal this season.
Rizespor responded through Jesurun Rak-Sakyi in the 27th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error. Nevertheless, Trabzonspor’s resilient backline held firm, preserving their advantage and stretching their unbeaten streak to four games.
This win propelled Trabzonspor to second place in the league standings with 20 points, trailing leaders Galatasaray by just two points.
Onuachu’s consistent goal-scoring exploits have placed him atop the Süper Lig’s scoring leaderboard, two goals ahead of Galatasaray’s Mauro Icardi and Besiktas‘ Rafa Silva. His impressive form is expected to reignite debates about his pivotal role in Nigeria’s frontline.
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Onuachu Steps Up as Moffi Faces Injury Setback
Nigeria’s preparations for the forthcoming World Cup playoff matches have been disrupted by an injury to striker Terem Moffi, who suffered a calf strain shortly after rejoining OGC Nice following international duty.
“Terem picked up an injury during his first training session back after international duty this morning. Although it was a light session, he experienced calf discomfort,” Nice coach Franck Haise revealed to France Bleu. “He is expected to be sidelined for several weeks. We will provide further updates tomorrow.”
This setback is particularly unfortunate for Moffi, who had recently fought his way back into Nice’s starting eleven after overcoming last season’s challenges. For coach Chelle, this means reevaluating his attacking options ahead of the decisive fixtures.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that Nigeria will face Gabon on November 13 in Morocco. The winner will then confront either Cameroon or DR Congo three days later, with the victor advancing to the intercontinental playoffs-the final stage on the path to the 2026 World Cup.
With Moffi sidelined, Onuachu emerges as the leading candidate to spearhead the attack. However, Chelle also has alternatives like Cyriel Dessers and Kelechi Iheanacho to consider as he finalizes his squad in the coming weeks.