The Nigerian striker’s lead at the top of the scoring chart has narrowed after a three-game drought, with Eldor Shomurodov and Anderson Talisca closing in fast.

Paul Onuachu’s lead at the top of the Turkish Süper Lig scorers’ chart has been reduced to just two goals after the Nigerian striker failed to score in his last three matches, allowing Eldor Shomurodov to close in rapidly.

Onuachu had dominated the scoring charts for much of the season despite missing several weeks while representing Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The towering forward previously scored in eight consecutive league matches to strengthen his grip on the Golden Boot race, but his momentum has slowed following a minor injury after returning from international duty.

He missed the Week 29 clash against Alanyaspor and has since failed to find the net in matches against İstanbul Başakşehir, Konyaspor and Göztepe.

The dry spell has opened the door for Shomurodov, who has emerged as Onuachu’s closest challenger. The forward moved to 20 league goals after netting a brace at the weekend to cut the gap on the Nigerian.

Brazilian attacker Anderson Talisca has also entered the title race strongly, taking his tally to 19 goals for Fenerbahçe after scoring a decisive hat-trick against Samsunspor.

Onuachu is hoping to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Victor Osimhen, who became the first Nigerian to win the Turkish league’s Golden Boot last season.

The Nigerian striker will now look to rediscover his scoring touch as the season reaches its decisive stage. While Shomurodov has maintained impressive consistency in front of goal, Talisca has timed his surge perfectly with several match-winning performances despite playing fewer minutes.

Meanwhile, Mauro Icardi, with 14 goals, and Victor Osimhen, with 13, remain further behind and are unlikely to challenge seriously for the Golden Boot.

However, both players could still celebrate a bigger achievement, as Galatasaray are on the verge of securing a record 26th Turkish league title with a victory this weekend.