Paul Onuachu produced a decisive performance as he scored twice to lead Trabzonspor to a 2-1 victory over Konyaspor in a tense Turkish Cup final, securing the club’s 10th title in the competition’s history.
The Nigerian striker, who had gone seven matches without finding the net, broke his drought in the 18th minute with a poacher’s finish. Latching onto Wagner Pina’s lofted cross, Onuachu reacted quickly inside the box to guide the ball beyond the goalkeeper at the near post and give Trabzonspor a 1-0 lead.
Despite their early advantage, Trabzonspor were pushed deep into a demanding contest. Konyaspor grew into the game and found their equalizer shortly after the restart when Jackson Muleka capitalized on a loose ball inside the area to make it 1-1 in the 50th minute.
The final took another dramatic turn when Konyaspor were awarded a penalty in the 56th minute, but Enis Bardhi’s effort struck the post, denying them a crucial lead and keeping Trabzonspor alive in the contest.
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Onuachu remained a constant threat throughout, dominating aerial battles and forcing key saves. His most notable contribution came in the first half when his powerful header was brilliantly stopped by Konyaspor goalkeeper Bahadır Gungordu
The decisive moment arrived in the 77th minute after a handball incident in the box handed Trabzonspor a penalty. Onuachu stepped forward with confidence, paused his run-up, and calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way before slotting the ball into the bottom corner to restore his side’s lead at 2-1.
Late pressure from Konyaspor followed, including a stoppage-time header from Muleka that went narrowly wide, but Trabzonspor held firm through eight minutes of added time to secure victory.
