Nigeria and Trabzonspor forward Paul Onuachu‘s recent man-of-the-match display in the Turkish Süper Lig has ignited one of the fiercest refereeing debates of the season, Soccernet.ng reports.
Trabzonspor’s 4-3 win over Fatih Karagümrük in Istanbul was already a chaotic, high-octane contest.
But the spotlight quickly shifted to referee Mehmet Türkmen after he awarded a contentious first-half penalty when Karagümrük defender Atakan tugged Onuachu’s shirt inside the box.
The controversy deepened when VAR referee Erkan Özdamar urged Türkmen to cancel the decision, citing a possible handball by Onuachu before the foul.
But after reviewing the footage, Türkmen stuck to his guns, insisting the Super Eagles striker could not have cut off his hand to avoid the ball's movement.
“I see the player’s long dragging of the jersey (Onuachu's). I think the hand (Onuachu's) is in a natural position. I will stay with the penalty,” he was heard saying in audio released by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF).
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The decision split opinion across Turkey.
Critics argue the Nigerian striker had indeed controlled the ball with his arm, while others insist the defender’s blatant pull left the referee little choice.
For Onuachu, however, there was no stopping his rise. The towering 2.02m forward scored twice on the night, taking his tally to five goals in seven games this season.
He has now joined Galatasaray’s Mauro Icardi and Beşiktaş’s Cenk Tosun at the top of the Süper Lig scoring charts, despite having a goal controversially disallowed against Fenerbahçe earlier this month.
The statistics further reveal his dominance: four shots, all on target; six successful ball recoveries; six duels won out of 11; and two aerial battles controlled. Onuachu is proving himself more than a poacher, he is Trabzonspor’s focal point and battering ram in equal measure.
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Next up is Kayserispor, who face the daunting task of trying to contain the Nigerian.
Manager Markus Gisdol is reportedly preparing a special game plan to neutralise the forward’s aerial threat and penalty-box presence.
But stopping Onuachu is easier said than done. His combination of physicality, finishing instincts, and match-winning aura has already made him the most talked-about striker in Turkey. And with Trabzonspor climbing the table, the controversy surrounding his penalty may fade, but his impact on this season’s title race will not.
