Nigeria star’s suspension lands Galatasaray in trouble as Trabzonspor demand match forfeit

Nigerian international and Galatasaray defender Oluwatosin Demehin has found herself at the centre of a major dispute in Turkish women's football, Soccernet.ng reports.

Trabzonspor are demanding a forfeit win against Galatasaray over an alleged yellow card mix-up involving Super Falcons star Demehin, according to Ajansspor.

The controversy erupted after Trabzonspor applied to the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) to overturn their 1-1 draw with Galatasaray in the 16th round of the Women's Super League, arguing that Demehin had been ineligible to play.

Nigeria's 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup star Demehin had received a yellow card during Galatasaray’s emphatic 8-1 win over Ünyegücü in the previous round.

READ MORE: Demehin makes history with Galatasaray as Echegini and Nnadozie face Champions League disappointments

The booking, issued during stoppage time in the first half, meant she had accumulated enough cautions to trigger a one-match suspension — ruling her out of the Trabzonspor fixture.

Welcome to “The Best For The Last” ..Happy New Month pic.twitter.com/kz2663Vbs0

— Demehin Oluwatosin Blessing (@tosindemehin) December 1, 2024

However, in the days leading up to the match, Galatasaray challenged the ruling, claiming that the yellow card had been mistakenly attributed to Demehin instead of her teammate, Kadiata Diallo.

The club submitted an appeal to the Disciplinary Board, which subsequently updated the official TFF records to transfer the booking from Demehin to Diallo, making the Nigerian defender eligible to play against Trabzonspor.

However, Trabzonspor have contested the decision, insisting that official observer reports and match footage confirm that Demehin was correctly booked. The club has formally requested that the TFF award them a forfeit victory, arguing that Galatasaray fielded an ineligible player.

Demehin’s Galatasaray journey

Demehin joined Galatasaray last summer on a one-year deal following a strong spell at French club Stade de Reims, where she played a crucial role in their fourth-place finish in the D1 Arkema last season.

After announcing her exit from Reims a few days ago, Super Falcons' defender @tosindemehin has joined Turkish champions Galatasaray on a free transfer.

Spotting kit number 4, Demehin made her debut in a 2-2 draw with Sparta Praha in the UWCL on Thursday night.

All the best!! https://t.co/rYpK5xUAwR pic.twitter.com/4vIGOzW7bO

— Imhons Erons (@Imhons) September 20, 2024

Before moving to Europe, the 22-year-old Nigerian defender developed her game in Nigeria, representing Sunshine Stars and Rivers Angels.

However, her debut season in Turkey has now been overshadowed by this controversy, with the TFF’s upcoming decision set to shape the narrative surrounding her early days at the club.

With both Trabzonspor and Galatasaray refusing to back down, the fallout from this dispute could have wider implications for how disciplinary matters are handled in Turkish women's football.