Nigerian striker Anthony Nwakaeme was on target as Trabzonspor began their Turkey Cup Group A campaign with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Alanyaspor.
The Super Eagles forward, who has one international cap, came off the bench to complete the scoring for his side, helping Trabzonspor climb to the top of the table on goal difference ahead of Fatih Karagümrük.
After a goalless first half, Trabzonspor seized control of the game early in the second half. Edin Višća broke the deadlock just four minutes after the restart, finishing off a well-worked move to give the home side the lead.
Alanyaspor had a chance to respond when Nuno Lima found himself in a promising position but failed to convert.
The visitors were left to rue that missed opportunity as Trabzonspor doubled their advantage in the 58th minute.
Simon Banza capitalized on a defensive lapse to make it 2-0, putting Trabzonspor firmly in the driver’s seat.
Nwakaeme comes off the bench to round up scoring
Nwakaeme, introduced at half-time for Ozan Tufan, added the icing on the cake with a composed finish to score Trabzonspor’s third goal, sealing the comprehensive win.
The Nigerian remains a cult hero at Trabzonspor after his outstanding performances during the 2021/22 season, where he scored 15 goals and provided 11 assists to lead the team to a historic league title.
However, the forward has struggled to replicate that form since returning to the club.
This season, he has managed two goals and one assist in 15 appearances across all competitions.
The 35-year-old has only played once for the Super Eagles.
