The race to finish as top scorer in the Turkish Süper Lig has taken a dramatic turn in the closing weeks of the season, with Paul Onuachu suddenly looking over his shoulder, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Trabzonspor striker had been in control for much of the campaign, despite spending several weeks with Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Onuachu was aiming to follow the footsteps of compatriot Victor Osimhen, who became the first Nigerian to claim the Turkish league's Golden Boot award last season.
His tally of 22 goals put him clear at the top and built on a remarkable run that included scoring in eight consecutive matches earlier in the year. But football rarely follows a straight line, and timing matters.
Now, at the most decisive point of the season, Onuachu has gone three matches without a goal. He missed the week 29 trip to Alanyaspor through injury, and since returning, he has drawn blanks against Başakşehir, Konyaspor and Göztepe.
After several weeks of sitting comfortably at the top of the goal chart, Onuachu's lead suddenly looks fragile.
Uzbekistan forward Eldor Shomurodov has surged to 20 goals for İstanbul Başakşehir, while Brazilian attacker Anderson Talisca has powered his way into contention with 19 goals for Fenerbahçe. Talisca was boosted by his decisive hat-trick against Samsunspor at the weekend that changed the mood of the race.
With two rounds of fixtures left before the season concludes on May 17, the gap has narrowed to just three goals between first and third. And what once looked like a procession has become a sprint.
Onuachu: Pressure builds as challengers close in
There is now a clear shift in momentum. While Onuachu searches for sharpness, his rivals are peaking.
Shomurodov has been consistent rather than explosive, scoring regularly to stay within touching distance. Talisca, on the other hand, has timed his run perfectly. Despite playing fewer minutes than the leading pair, the Brazilian has delivered when it matters most, turning matches with moments of individual brilliance.
Elsewhere, familiar names such as Mauro Icardi (14 goals) and Victor Osimhen (13) sit further back, unlikely to challenge for the Golden Boot. Both Icardi and Osimhen could pick up a bigger consolation this weekend as a win for Galatasaray will seal a 26th Super Lig crown for the Lions.
Experience, though, will count in favour of Onuachu, who is not in unfamiliar territory. The Nigerian striker knows what it takes to finish a season strongly.
During his time at KRC Genk, he delivered one of the most dominant scoring campaigns in recent European football. In the 2020–21 Belgian Pro League season, the former Southampton ace struck 33 league goals to win the Golden Bull and sweep several individual honours including the Belgian Golden Shoe.
That experience could prove vital now.
At 2.01 metres tall, Onuachu’s game is built on physical dominance in the box, especially in the air. Trabzonspor’s system is designed to supply him early, with crosses and set-pieces aimed at exploiting his height and positioning.
Nearly half of his goals this season have come from headers, revealing how central he is to their attacking plan.
But as defences tighten late in the season and pressure increases, chances become harder to come by. That is where composure, movement and instinct must take over.
If Onuachu rediscovers his scoring touch, he remains the favourite to claim the Golden Boot and follow Osimhen into the record books. If not, the door is wide open for Shomurodov or Talisca to complete a late turnaround.
