Super Eagles: Onuachu, Nwaiwu ratings as Trabzonspor edge Konyaspor in Turkish Cup final

Super Eagles stars Paul Onuachu and Chibuike Nwaiwu both played starring roles for Trabzonspor as they secured a 2-1 victory over Konyaspor to win the Turkish Cup on Friday night, Soccernet.ng reports.

Onuachu scored both goals for Trabzonspor, while Nwaiwu delivered a composed defensive performance as the Black Sea Storm ended the season with silverware. Meanwhile, Anthony Nwakaeme remained an unused substitute throughout the encounter.

The victory served as revenge for Trabzonspor, who lost last year’s final to Galatasaray, as they lifted their 10th Turkish Cup title.

Trabzonspor vs Konyaspor: What happened?

Trabzonspor reached the final after defeating Gençlerbirliği in the semi-finals, while Konyaspor edged past Beşiktaş with a 1-0 victory to book their place in the final at the Antalya Stadium.

Both sides had won one game each in their previous two meetings this season, with Konyaspor claiming a 2-1 win in their most recent clash in April.

However, Trabzonspor started the final brightly and took the lead through Onuachu. The Nigerian striker produced a superb volley between two defenders after meeting a cross from Wagner Pina, ending his goal drought which had stretched back to April 4.

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Both teams created opportunities before halftime, but Trabzonspor maintained their 1-0 advantage heading into the break.

Konyaspor returned strongly in the second half and nearly equalised when Jackson Muleka saw his header saved by goalkeeper Andre Onana. However, the DR Congo forward eventually found the net minutes later, firing home the equalizer in the 50th minute.

Konyaspor were then handed a huge opportunity to take the lead after VAR awarded them a penalty for a foul by Tim Jabol-Folcarelli inside the box. However, Enis Bardhi struck the woodwork with his effort.

Trabzonspor were later awarded a penalty of their own after Marko Jevtovic handled the ball inside the area. Onuachu stepped up confidently and converted from the spot to complete his brace and seal a 2-1 victory for Trabzonspor.

The triumph marked Trabzonspor’s first Turkish Cup title since the 2019-20 season and their first major trophy since winning the Turkish Super Cup in 2022.

Super Eagles players ratings: Onuachu, Nwaiwu rated high as Nwakaeme watches on

Nigerian forward Paul Onuachu once again demonstrated why he remains one of Trabzonspor’s key players, scoring twice to help the club lift the trophy. The 31-year-old ended his lengthy goal drought in style with a brilliant volley for his first goal before calmly converting a second-half penalty.

The Nigerian striker registered six shots, with three on target, while he also had five touches inside the opposition box. He also won seven duels and was named Player of the Match following his decisive display, earning a match rating of 7.6 according to Sofascore.

Nwaiwu also produced another assured display in defence amid growing transfer interest ahead of the summer window.

The 22-year-old completed 86% of his passes and made eight passes into the final third. He also recorded seven defensive actions, won 10 duels and was fouled four times. He finished the match with a Sofascore rating of 7.3.

Meanwhile, Nwakaeme remained on the bench for the entire game in his final match in the colours of Trabzonspor and leaves on a high note after winning the Turkish Cup.

Onuachu and Nwaiwu are now expected to join up with the Super Eagles ahead of their upcoming international fixtures. 

Nwaiwu has been included in the squad for next week’s Unity Cup and could feature against Zimbabwe in Nigeria’s opener, while Onuachu is set to link up with the team for June friendlies against Poland and Portugal.