Andre Onana’s night in the UEFA Conference League took a troubling turn when he conceded a goal directly from a corner as Trabzonspor beat KuPS 4-2 away on Thursday. The Cameroonian goalkeeper’s error came after his return to European football and echoed a similar mistake earlier this year in the Premier League.
Trabzonspor surged to a 3-0 lead before Onana’s misjudgment allowed KuPS to pull one back with a corner kick that found the net without a touch from another player. The goal mirrored the one Onana conceded against Wolverhampton in 2024 when Matheus Cunha scored straight from a corner, raising questions about the keeper's consistency in dealing with set pieces.
Despite the blunder, Onana recovered quickly. He made a crucial penalty save shortly after, denying KuPS from reducing the deficit to 3-2 and keeping Trabzonspor’s advantage intact. The match, however, remained tense until the closing moments as KuPS fought back, scoring a second goal deep into injury time in the 96th minute, though the outcome was no longer in doubt.
Onana finished the match with six saves, four of which came from shots inside the penalty area. He also made one successful punch and completed a run out to clear the ball from danger. His contribution was not limited to shot-stopping; he also made two clearances and won his only aerial duel during the game.
However, his passing left something to be desired. The goalkeeper completed just 56 percent of his passes, and only 22 percent of his long balls found their target, a statistic that could concern Trabzonspor’s coaching staff given their style of play. Accuracy from the back is often an overlooked aspect for goalkeepers, but for Onana, it was a noticeable weakness on this occasion.
Trabzonspor’s win sees them maintain a positive start to the season, sitting fifth in the Turkish Super Lig. They now prepare for a significant domestic clash against Besiktas on Monday. The stakes will be high, with Trabzonspor just two points behind their Istanbul rivals and three points shy of league leaders Galatasaray.
Onana’s performance against KuPS offered glimpses of resilience but also highlighted moments of vulnerability. His role as Trabzonspor’s number one will be under scrutiny as the season progresses and the club targets higher league positions and European progression. His next challenge against Besiktas will be a test of both his shot-stopping and distribution under pressure.
According to Yahoo Sports.
