Rizespor vs Trabzonspor: Olawoyin to battle Nwaiwu – Preview, team news, predictions & H2H

Chibuike Nwaiwu and Trabzonspor can move within one point of the Süper Lig summit if they win at Rizespor on Monday, October 26, 2026.

A victory would take Trabzonspor to 19 points, one behind Amed SK, who lead on 20, while Galatasaray meet Fenerbahçe later on the same day.

Nwaiwu, a 23-year-old Nigerian centre-back, has started all of Trabzonspor’s league games and has a goal to his name, although his compatriot Paul Onuachu is expected to miss the trip with a thigh problem.

Nigerian	Club and role	Status
Chibuike Nwaiwu	Trabzonspor, centre-back	Expected to start
Paul Onuachu	Trabzonspor, striker	Probable absence (thigh)
Ibrahim Olawoyin	Rizespor, midfielder	Expected to start

Ibrahim Olawoyin, the Nigerian midfielder, has started seven of Rizespor’s eight league games and is expected to line up again.

Rizespor are the only side in the division without a home point, while Trabzonspor have the league’s best defence and its top scorer in Mohamed Salah.

Match radar: Rizespor vs Trabzonspor

Rizespor vs Trabzonspor
Competition	Süper Lig, Matchday 9
Kickoff	Monday, October 26, 2026, 17:00 WAT
Venue	Çaykur Didi Stadyumu, Rize
Where to Watch (Nigeria)	ESPN Africa on DStv
Trabzonspor have conceded five league goals in eight games, the fewest in the division, while Rizespor have lost all three home games without scoring.

Rizespor vs Trabzonspor Form: A Home Drought Meets Reis’ Winning Run

Trabzonspor have won all five of their competitive games since Thomas Reis took over on September 17, scoring 15 and conceding two.

The run includes a 4-0 home win over Galatasaray in which Salah scored a hat-trick, plus 3-0 at Samsunspor, 4-2 at KuPS, 2-0 against Beşiktaş and 2-0 against Hearts on Thursday.

That keeps them fourth on 16 points, four behind Amed SK, with the meanest defence in the league.

The road has been less comfortable, since only four points have come from four away league games, including a 1-0 defeat at Konyaspor on September 12.

Rizespor sit 12th on 10 points after losing 2-1 at Çorum on October 16, where Qazim Laçi gave them the lead in the 33rd minute before Youssoufa Moukoko scored the winner in the 81st.

It was their first away defeat of the season, but the real problem is at home, where they have lost three league games, scored nothing and conceded six, including a 3-0 loss to Fenerbahçe on October 10.

Rizespor have had 10 days to prepare since Çorum, whereas Trabzonspor played on Thursday and have four days between games.

Trabzonspor, last five league games W 2-0W 3-0W 4-0L 0-1W 5-0 Latest first: Beşiktaş, Samsunspor, Galatasaray, Konyaspor, Gençlerbirliği. Own score listed first.

Rizespor, last five league games L 1-2L 0-3D 2-2W 2-0L 0-1 Latest first: Çorum, Fenerbahçe, Göztepe, Eyüpspor, Alanyaspor. Own score listed first.

Rizespor vs Trabzonspor Head-to-Head Record

Trabzonspor lead the all-time record with 31 wins from 49 meetings in all competitions, against nine for Rizespor and nine draws.

They have won the last four, including a 5-2 Turkish Cup win in February 2025 and a 1-0 league win in Trabzon on March 14, 2026.

Rize has been awkward ground, though, because Trabzonspor lost there in March 2022, January 2024 and November 2024 before winning 2-1 in October 2025.

Those results are context only, and one link between the sides has changed: Samet Akaydin, a Rizespor centre-back until this summer, now plays for Trabzonspor.

Rizespor vs Trabzonspor Team News: Nwaiwu, Onana and Predicted XI

Trabzonspor’s injury list is longer, with Onuachu a probable absentee after a thigh injury, Noah Saviolo a doubt with an ankle sprain from the Hearts game and Stefan Savić a doubt after being rested on Thursday.

André Onana was taken to hospital after a road accident on Thursday night and discharged after clear checks, so the goalkeeper’s fitness is the one to watch before kickoff.

Mustafa Eskihellaç, who missed three games with a hamstring problem, is cleared and expected back in the squad.

Sidny Lopes Cabral is available despite his red card against Hearts, because that sanction applies only to UEFA competition.

Rizespor are without Khusniddin Alikulov (cruciate ligament) and Ahmed Kutucu (knee), while Attila Mocsi and Can Bozdoğan are back in training.

Rizespor	Trabzonspor
Out: Khusniddin Alikulov (cruciate ligament) Out: Ahmed Kutucu (knee) Doubt: Attila Mocsi (calf) Doubt: Can Bozdoğan (ankle)	Out: Arseniy Batagov (thigh) Out: Ruslan Malinovskyi (knee surgery) Out: Okay Yokuşlu (cartilage) Doubt: André Onana (road accident, cleared by checks) Doubt: Paul Onuachu (thigh, probable absence) Doubt: Noah Saviolo (ankle) Doubt: Stefan Savić (rested v Hearts)

Star Player Comparison: Mohamed Salah v Qazim Laçi

Mohamed Salah Right winger · Trabzonspor	Stat	Qazim Laçi Midfielder · Rizespor
8	Goals	2
8	Appearances	8
8.11	Average rating	7.21

The Managers: Recep Uçar and Thomas Reis

Recep Uçar has been in charge at Rizespor since December 2025, on a contract that runs to June 30, 2027, and his favoured shape is 4-1-4-1.

Thomas Reis is more than five weeks into the Trabzonspor job after arriving from Ludogorets on September 17, and he previously managed Samsunspor, whom he beat on October 10.

Uçar’s task is to find a home goal, since all eight of Rizespor’s league goals this season have come away from Rize.

Tactical Preview: Salah Against Rizespor’s Back Four

Rizespor are expected to line up in a 4-1-4-1, with Taylan Antalyalı screening the back four and Ali Sowe left alone up front.

Trabzonspor should use a 4-2-3-1, with Fabinho and Ozan Tufan in front of the defence and Salah on the right of the front three.

That puts Salah against Zakaria Ariss, a 22-year-old left-back who has started six of his seven appearances, and the 71st-minute goal against Beşiktaş, set up by Franculino Djú, showed how quickly Trabzonspor can move through the middle.

Rizespor’s route to a first home goal runs through Adedire Awokoya-Mebude and Valentin Mihăilă, who start wide and will test Wagner Pina and Cabral, because Trabzonspor have conceded in three of four away league games.

The Naija Slip: Rizespor vs Trabzonspor Betting Tips

Score Prediction: Rizespor vs Trabzonspor

Rizespor 1 – 2 Trabzonspor

Trabzonspor’s front line is too sharp for a Rizespor side without a home goal, but the visitors’ away record leaves room for one reply. Likely scorers: Salah, Franculino Djú, Ali Sowe.