Chibuike Nwaiwu scored his first league goal of the season as Trabzonspor claimed a convincing 3-0 away win over Samsunspor in the Turkish Süper Lig.
The Super Eagles defender helped his side secure three valuable points at Samsun Yeni 19 Mayıs Stadium. The victory also lifted Trabzonspor temporarily into third place, despite playing most of the second half with 10 men.
Trabzonspor took control in the first half and scored three times in just 13 minutes. Ernest Muçi opened the scoring in the 27th minute after receiving a pass from Mustafa Eskihellaç.
Nwaiwu doubled the visitors’ lead in the 38th minute. The defender capitalised on a major goalkeeper error to find the net and put Trabzonspor firmly in control.
Just two minutes later, Franculino added the third goal in the 40th minute, finishing a move assisted by Egyptian Mohamed Salah. Trabzonspor had built a commanding advantage before half time.
However, the visitors suffered a setback shortly before the break. Melih Kabasakal received a red card in the 43rd minute, leaving Trabzonspor to play the rest of the match with 10 men.
Chibuike Nwaiwu impresses as Trabzonspor hold firm
Samsunspor had a numerical advantage after the interval, but they struggled to turn it into goals. Trabzonspor remained organized at the back and denied the hosts a route back into the contest.
Chibuike Nwaiwu played the full 90 minutes, making his seventh consecutive league start. He delivered a strong defensive performance alongside his first league goal of the campaign.
The centre back recorded four interceptions, four clearances, six recoveries and six blocked shots. He also won 100 per cent of his ground duels, registered 72 touches and completed 85 per cent of his passes.
His contribution helped Trabzonspor protect their three goal lead until the final whistle, securing an important away victory despite their numerical disadvantage.
The result takes Trabzonspor to 13 points and temporarily moves them into third place in the Turkish Süper Lig. Samsunspor, meanwhile, remain on four points.
