Soccer
Super Eagles stars Zaidu Sanusi, Henry Onyekuru and Victor Osimhen.
Gençlerbirliği produced one of the biggest shocks of the final day in the 2025-26 Turkish Süper Lig season, beating Trabzonspor 3-0 away at Papara Park to secure survival, Soccernet.ng reports.
The result ensured safety for the Ankara club and confirmed Antalyaspor’s relegation instead.
Coached by Metin Diyadin, Gençlerbirliği went into the final match needing all three points to stay up. Despite heavy pressure from Trabzonspor, who dominated possession with 63.3%, Gençlerbirliği stayed compact and dangerous on the break.
The first goal came just before half-time in the 45th minute. Adama Traoré powered in a header after a perfect cross from Metehan Mimaroğlu, silencing the home crowd.
In the second half, Trabzonspor pushed harder, but Gençlerbirliği goalkeeper Ricardo Velho made key saves, including a strong stop from a header by league top scorer Paul Onuachu.
The visitors sealed the win late. Franco Tongya scored in the 88th minute after a cut-back from Rahim Dursun. Then, in stoppage time, Mimaroğlu finished a fast counter-attack to complete a 3-0 victory.
The result lifted Gençlerbirliği to 14th place with 34 points, completing a dramatic survival in their first season back in the top division.
Soccer Super Eagles duo face uncertain Gençlerbirliği futures
While Gençlerbirliği celebrated survival, two Nigerian players – Henry Onyekuru and Peter Oghenekaro Etebo – now face very different decisions heading into the summer window.
The season was a major disappointment for Onyekuru. Signed on a free transfer after his spell in Saudi Arabia, he failed to score or assist in 17 league appearances.
He played just 301 minutes all season, starting only three matches. Most of his 14 appearances came as a late substitute, and he was often removed early when he did start. His last meaningful involvement came in April defeats to Göztepe and İstanbul Başakşehir, and he did not feature in the final-day win that secured survival.
With a contract running until June 2027, reports suggest the club is now open to a cut-price exit or mutual termination, as his role in the squad has collapsed.
In contrast, Etebo missed almost the entire season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in training. The injury ruled him out of Gençlerbirliği’s survival push, leaving him with just one appearance and 42 minutes played.
Etebo, who played a key role in their promotion campaign last season, is now in rehabilitation and has returned to light training. He is expected to be fit for pre-season ahead of the 2026–27 campaign.
Unlike Onyekuru, the club still values Etebo highly. With the former Watford and Stoke City man still having a year left on his contract, Gençlerbirliği are expected to assess him in pre-season. If found fit, Etebo could be a key component of Gençlerbirliği’s squad next season. Otherwise, the Turkish club could decide to part ways with the Nigeria international.
Now, both players face a key summer with one fighting to rebuild his career and the other fighting to return to full fitness at the highest level.
Imhonlamhen
Imhonlamhen is a football writer and editor at Soccernet.ng with over six years’ experience shaping its editorial voice. A lifelong Arsenal and Super Eagles fan, he combines engineering precision with training in journalism and digital media. He has covered four AFCONs and two Women’s AFCON tournaments, specialising in Super Eagles history and tracking Nigerian players worldwide, while keeping a close eye on the NPFL and emerging homegrown talents.
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