Paul Onuachu: Trabzonspor vs Kasımpaşa –Preview, team news, predictions & H2H

Paul Onuachu will spearhead a Trabzonspor side brimming with ambition when the 2026-27 Turkish Super Lig season kicks off on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with an away trip to Kasimpasa in Istanbul, Afrik-Foot reports.

The Super Eagles striker shared the Golden Boot last term after scoring 22 league goals and now has even more firepower alongside him after Mohamed Salah completed a blockbuster free-transfer move from Liverpool.

Trabzonspor finished third in 2025-26, collected 69 points from 34 matches, and lifted the Turkish Cup with a 2-1 final win over Konyaspor in May.

Kasimpasa, who ended that campaign in 13th place on 35 points, will look to Emre Belozoglu to steer them towards a more competitive season.

Trabzonspor vs Kasimpasa preview

Trabzonspor enter the new campaign on the back of a trophy-winning season that cemented their status as Turkey’s third-best club behind Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.

Fatih Tekke’s men won 20 of their 34 league matches, drew nine and lost just five on their way to 69 points.

They were particularly destructive in attack, netting 61 league goals across the campaign, with Onuachu responsible for 22 of those and Felipe Augusto contributing 13.

Their preseason form has been mixed, though, with a 0-3 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt on July 26 followed by a 1-0 win over Udinese on August 2 and a 1-2 defeat to Goztepe on August 8.

The integration of Salah into the squad after just nine days at the club adds an element of unpredictability to how Trabzonspor will look on the opening weekend.

Kasimpasa, by contrast, endured a largely forgettable 2025-26 season, winning just eight of their 34 league fixtures.

Belozoglu has had a full preseason to work with his squad, but his record since taking charge in December 2025 is grim. He’s averaged a 25% win rate, winning five games, drawing seven and losing eight.

The hosts will at least take comfort from the fact that Kasimpasa are traditionally tough opponents on home soil in the early weeks of the season, when away sides are still finding their rhythm.

Head-to-head record: Trabzonspor vs Kasimpasa

The overall head-to-head record between these two clubs tilts heavily in Trabzonspor’s favour.

Across 32 meetings, Trabzonspor have won 15, Kasimpasa seven, with 10 draws between them.

Kasimpasa’s last home victory over Trabzonspor came in the 2023-24 season, and they have not won any of their past five meetings with the Black Sea outfit across all competitions.

Team News & Predicted lineups: Trabzonspor vs Kasimpasa

Trabzonspor’s biggest selection question revolves around whether Salah, who signed barely a week before this fixture, will start or come off the bench.

The 34-year-old Egyptian, who scored 257 goals in 442 appearances for Liverpool, is match-fit after featuring at the 2026 World Cup, where he helped Egypt reach the round of 16.

Tekke may opt for a gradual introduction, though, given Salah has had limited time to train with his new teammates.

Onuachu, the Lagos-born striker, is expected to lead the line as he did throughout last season.

Ernest Muci, who chipped in with 11 league goals in 2025-26, should start on the flank, with Ozan Tufan providing experience in midfield. Andre Onana remains the first-choice goalkeeper.

Kasimpasa will rely on Andreas Gianniotis between the posts, the Greek goalkeeper who kept eight clean sheets last season.

Kerem Demirbay was one of the club’s best players last season and should anchor the midfield alongside captain Haris Hajradinovic.

Trabzonspor predicted XI (4-2-3-1):

Onana; Pina, Savic, Nwaiwu, Eskihellaç; Tufan, Yokuslu; Muci, Simsir, Salah; Onuachu

Kasimpasa predicted XI (4-2-3-1):

Gianniotis; Winck, Aydin, Arous, Corekci; Demirbay, Hajradinovic; Rafferty, Ben Ouanes, Ali Kol; Benedyczak

Star player watch: Paul Onuachu vs Karim Demirbay

The managers: Fatih Tekke vs Emre Belözoglu

Fatih Tekke is a Trabzonspor icon in every sense, having scored 104 goals in 241 appearances for the club as a player before winning the Super Lig Golden Boot with 31 goals in 2004-05.

His first full season in charge delivered third place, a Turkish Cup triumph and Conference League qualification, establishing him as the man to lead the club’s challenge on multiple fronts this term.

Emre Belozoglu brings a very different history to the Kasimpasa dugout.

The former Inter Milan, Newcastle United and Fenerbahce midfielder won over 100 caps for Turkey and lifted the UEFA Cup with Galatasaray in 2000.

His managerial career has been more turbulent, with spells at Istanbul Basaksehir, Ankaragucu and Antalyaspor preceding his arrival at Kasimpasa in December 2025.

A 25% win rate from 20 matches shows the scale of the rebuilding job still ahead of him at the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadium.

Tactical preview: Trabzonspor vs Kasimpasa

Trabzonspor operated predominantly in a 4-2-3-1 shape last season, using Onuachu as a focal point with wide attackers stretching opposition defences.

The arrival of Salah adds an entirely new dimension, given his ability to cut inside from the right wing and create shooting opportunities on his left foot.

Tekke’s side pressed aggressively in the final third during 2025-26 and looked to transition quickly when winning possession, often catching opponents on the break.

Kasimpasa used a similar 4-2-3-1 under Belozoglu during the second half of last season, though they sat deeper and relied more on counter-attacks than sustained possession.

The hosts’ central midfield pairing of Demirbay and Hajradinovic will need to control the tempo and limit space for Trabzonspor’s attackers to operate between the lines.

Trabzonspor vs Kasimpasa betting tips and predictions

Score prediction – Trabzonspor vs Kasımpaşa