Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu carved his name into Trabzonspor folklore on Saturday night, producing a dominant display that powered the Claret-Blues to a 3–0 victory over Samsunspor at the 19 Mayıs Stadium.
In a contest that underlined his growing influence for the Turkish club, the Nigerian forward struck twice to continue a remarkable run of form and etch a new chapter in the club’s Süper Lig history.
Onuachu opened the scoring in the first half, rising above the defence to head home a pinpoint cross from Albanian forward Ernest Muçi, giving Trabzonspor control of the derby encounter. His presence in the box, as ever, proved decisive.
With nine minutes left on the clock, the 30-year-old doubled his tally, calmly converting an assist from Okay Yokuşlu, a finish that reflected the confidence of a striker at the peak of his powers.
Muçi capped off a commanding team performance deep into stoppage time, coolly slotting home a penalty to seal the emphatic win and underline Trabzonspor’s authority on the night.
A historic night for Onuachu
Beyond the scoreline, the evening carried historic significance. The brace took Onuachu’s season tally to 16 goals in just 20 appearances across all competitions since his summer arrival from Premier League side Southampton.
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According to Opta Can, the performance also made Onuachu the first foreign player in Trabzonspor’s history to score in both league meetings against Samsunspor in a single Süper Lig season.
The Nigerian international had previously found the net in the reverse fixture, a 1–1 draw at Papara Park on 31 August 2025, making Saturday’s brace the completion of a unique personal milestone.
Title race tightens
The victory keeps Trabzonspor firmly in the title conversation. The Black Sea Storm remain third in the Süper Lig, now on 45 points from 21 matches, and continue to apply pressure at the top.
They sit just one point behind Fenerbahçe and four points adrift of leaders Galatasaray, with Onuachu’s goals increasingly central to their push for domestic glory.
