Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu scored an early goal before suffering an injury as Trabzonspor claimed a 4-2 victory over Finnish side KuPS Kuopio in the UEFA Conference League, Trybal News reports.
Onuachu needed just three minutes to put Trabzonspor ahead at Tammelan Stadium, finishing a through ball from Mohamed Salah to give the Turkish side a flying start.
However, the Nigerian forward’s evening was cut short when he went down injured shortly after scoring. He was unable to continue and was replaced by Franculino Djú in the 10th minute.
Despite losing their goalscorer early, Trabzonspor maintained their attacking threat, with Salah doubling their advantage in the 44th minute before Djú scored shortly after the restart to make it 3-0 in the 47th minute.
KuPS responded through Petteri Pennanen in the 54th minute, reducing the deficit and giving the home side hope of mounting a comeback.
Trabzonspor, however, held firm and restored their three-goal cushion when Djú completed his brace in stoppage time. KuPS added a second through Gustav Engvall late in the game, but the visitors secured a 4-2 win.
The victory gave Trabzonspor a positive result in their Conference League campaign, although Onuachu’s injury will be a concern for the club.
Onuachu’s inclusion in the starting XI presented a chance to impress under Thomas Reis after featuring mainly as a substitute in recent outings.
He made an immediate impact by finding the net inside three minutes, but his night ended prematurely when injury forced him off just seven minutes later.
Trabzonspor are yet to confirm the nature or severity of the injury, leaving uncertainty over Onuachu’s availability for their upcoming fixtures. The Nigerian international’s condition will be monitored as the club awaits further clarity on his recovery.
