By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigeria international Paul Onuachu was on target for Trabzonspor but his early strike was not enough to secure victory as Samsunspor battled back for a 1-1 draw at Papara Park.
The Nigerian forward delighted the home crowd with a precise finish in the 16th minute, netting his second goal of the season to put Trabzonspor ahead.
The hosts dominated proceedings for long spells but were stunned late on when Marius equalised in the 88th minute, ensuring the visitors left with a share of the spoils.
Despite sustained pressure in stoppage time, Trabzonspor could not find a winner.
Speaking after the game, technical director Fatih Tekke expressed frustration at missed opportunities and the forced substitutions that disrupted their momentum.
“We’re playing for Trabzonspor; we are Trabzonspor. Opportunities came again, but unfortunately Augusto got injured and we had already used two substitutions due to injuries,” Tekke said.
“Onuachu also received an early card, which I wasn’t comfortable with, so I had to take him off. In the end, we were left waiting for moments we didn’t expect, and it cost us.”
Next up for Onuachu and Trabzonspor is a tough away clash against Fenerbahçe in Week 5 of the Trendyol Super League Mehmet Ali Yılmaz Season.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
