Nigeria’s Paul Onuachu questions referee’s decision after Trabzonspor penalty appeal in Freiburg defeat

Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu has questioned the referee’s decision not to award Trabzonspor a penalty during their 1-0 defeat to Freiburg in the UEFA Conference League, insisting he was pushed from behind inside the box.

The Nigerian forward was left frustrated after Trabzonspor suffered their first defeat in the competition this season, with Lukas Kübler’s 14th-minute strike proving decisive at Papara Park on Thursday.

Despite the disappointing result, Onuachu believes his side delivered a respectable performance against a difficult opponent, pointing to the opportunities they created but failed to convert.

Trabzonspor struggled to recover from the early setback despite making efforts to find an equaliser, with Freiburg holding on to secure all three points.

Speaking after the encounter, the former Genk striker acknowledged the quality of the German side but felt Trabzonspor had done enough offensively to get something from the game.

“Even though we lost, I can say that we actually played a good match today, we had a good game. Because we had a tough opponent. Despite that, we had many chances but couldn’t capitalize on them,” he said, as quoted by Sporx.

Onuachu explains penalty appeal

The 30-year-old was particularly unhappy with the handling of the penalty situations during the match, believing the referee could have made a different decision following the contact he experienced inside the area.

Onuachu maintained that he was pushed from behind, although he acknowledged that the final decision rested with the match official.

“Actually, the referee’s decision could be important here. Because it was a 50/50 situation. I was pushed from behind, but the referee was the one who would make the final decision,” he concluded.

His comments reflected Trabzonspor’s frustration after failing to capitalise on their attacking opportunities in a match where a penalty decision could have potentially changed the outcome.

Goals remain important but team comes first

Onuachu also addressed questions about the expectations placed on him following his impressive goalscoring exploits last season, as well as the possibility of occasionally starting matches from the bench.

The Nigerian striker, who emerged as Trabzonspor’s leading scorer last season, admitted that finding the back of the net remains a personal priority but insisted that collective success takes precedence.

He stressed that his primary objective is to contribute to the team’s performances, regardless of whether he starts or comes off the bench.

“Of course, as a striker, I want to score goals, but what’s important here is that the team wins and plays good football, which is what they are doing. When the team wins, there’s really not much of a problem, but of course, when the opportunity arises, I want to score. As long as the team is doing well, I want to contribute to the team,” he explained.

The defeat to Freiburg represents a setback for Trabzonspor’s Conference League ambitions, but Onuachu remains encouraged by the team’s overall display.

The Turkish side will now look to respond in their subsequent fixtures as they seek to regain momentum in the competition.