Anthony Nwakaeme was instrumental in Trabzonspor’s narrow 1-0 victory over Eyüpspor on Monday night, registering his fourth goal contribution of the season in the Turkish Süper Lig.
The 35-year-old Nigerian forward, who has one cap for the Super Eagles, provided the assist for John Lundstram’s 59th-minute winner, helping Trabzonspor secure a crucial three points at home.
Despite Trabzonspor's dominance in possession, they struggled to break down fourth-placed Eyüpspor’s defence. Nwakaeme’s precise cross, however, made the difference, allowing Lundstram to slot home from the centre of the box.
A detailed look at Nwakaeme’s performance
Nwakaeme was heavily involved throughout his 89 minutes on the pitch, completing 68 touches and maintaining an impressive 91% pass accuracy (39/43).
He created four key passes, including the assist, and delivered two crosses, one of which found its mark. His expected assist (xA) value stood at 0.24, reflecting his influence in the final third.
While Nwakaeme didn’t register a goal himself, he had one shot off target and another blocked, with an expected goals (xG) rating of 0.05. His dribbling wasn’t as effective, failing to complete either of his two attempts.
However, he showed grit in duels, winning five out of ten on the ground and one out of four in the air.
This season, Nwakaeme has made 14 league appearances, starting in nine, with one goal and three assists to his name. A Turkish Süper Lig champion, his last appearance for the Super Eagles of Nigeria came in 2017 under Gernot Rohr during a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Algeria.
Eight years later, the forward remains far from national team contention, despite his continued contributions at club level.
