Onuachu Struggles To Match Last Season’s Fast Start At Trabzonspor
Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu has endured a slow start to the new season at Trabzonspor, scoring twice in his first eight official appearances.
Onuachu finished last season as one of the standout strikers in the Turkish Süper Lig, sharing the top-scorer award with Başakşehir’s Eldor Shomurodov after scoring 22 league goals.
But the Nigerian has yet to reproduce that scoring form in the opening weeks of the new campaign.
His two goals both came in Trabzonspor’s 5-0 home victory over Gençlerbirliği in the fourth week of the Süper Lig.
The 32-year-old has otherwise struggled to find the net, scoring twice in Trabzonspor’s first eight competitive matches, including six league games and two European fixtures.
His start is also a contrast to his opening six league matches last season, when he scored against Kocaelispor, Samsunspor and Gaziantep FK.
Onuachu scored the only goal in Trabzonspor’s 1-0 win over Kocaelispor on the opening weekend before finding the net against Samsunspor and in the 1-1 draw away to Gaziantep FK.
Those three goals helped Trabzonspor collect five points in the matches in which the Nigerian scored.
The striker has also had to contend with a change in the dugout. New coach Thomas Reis left him on the bench against Galatasaray, introducing him in the 59th minute for Franculino Dju.
While Onuachu has struggled for goals, Mohammed Salah has carried much of Trabzonspor’s attacking burden in the opening six league matches, scoring seven goals.
Onuachu and Saviola have two goals each, while Muçi and Dju have scored once apiece.
The Nigerian remains an important figure for Trabzonspor after his 22-goal league campaign last season, which saw him become only the sixth player in the club’s history to finish as Süper Lig top scorer.
He also scored four goals in the Turkish Cup as Trabzonspor lifted the trophy last season.
With the season still in its early stages, Onuachu will be looking to rediscover the scoring touch that made him one of the league’s most prolific strikers last season.
