-
Mohamed Salah announced himself in the Turkish Super Lig with two goals on his first start for Trabzonspor.
-
Salah opened his Trabzonspor account in unusual fashion after capitalising on a mistake from the Basaksehir goalkeeper.
-
The 34-year-old restored Trabzonspor’s lead shortly after half-time with a composed finish.
-
Salah’s move to Turkey marks the beginning of a new chapter after nine years at Liverpool.
August 23, (THEWILL) — Mohamed Salah wasted little time making his mark at Trabzonspor, scoring twice on his first Turkish Super Lig start as his new side defeated Istanbul Basaksehir 2-1.
The 34-year-old forward was handed his first league start since completing his move to Turkey and responded with a performance that reminded supporters of his goalscoring instincts.
Playing in front of the home crowd at Papara Park, Salah opened the scoring after just eight minutes.
The goal came following an error from Basaksehir goalkeeper Muhammed Sengezer. Salah managed to take the ball away from the goalkeeper before attempting to finish the opportunity.
His effort took a deflection before striking the inside of the post and crossing the line.
It was an unconventional way for Salah to register his first goal for Trabzonspor, but it immediately gave the hosts the advantage.
Basaksehir responded and were rewarded when Eldor Shomurodov converted a penalty in the 19th minute.
The equaliser ensured Trabzonspor could not settle into the match after their quick start, with both sides going into the interval level at 1-1.
Salah, however, had more to offer.
Second goal restores Trabzonspor lead
The Egyptian returned from half-time determined to restore Trabzonspor’s advantage.
Just three minutes after the restart, Salah found the net again.
He met a move involving Enis Muçi and produced a first-time finish from around 10 yards to put Trabzonspor back in front.
The goal completed a productive first start for the former Liverpool star and gave his new team a lead they would ultimately protect until the final whistle.
Basaksehir attempted to find another equaliser but could not break through the Trabzonspor defence.
Salah remained a constant threat as the game entered its closing stages.
He was shown a yellow card with 11 minutes remaining after the referee judged that he had gone to ground too easily inside the penalty area.
The incident did little to overshadow what had otherwise been an impressive individual display.
Salah denied hat-trick
Salah appeared to have completed a remarkable hat-trick in added time.
With Basaksehir’s goalkeeper out of position, the forward found the net from around 45 yards, sending the home supporters into celebration.
Their excitement was short-lived.
The goal was ruled out because Salah had been in an offside position.
Despite being denied a third goal, the Egyptian had already done enough to decide the match.
His brace secured a 2-1 victory and provided an immediate indication of what Trabzonspor supporters can expect from their new attacking star.
READ ALSO:
New chapter after Liverpool
The performance comes at the beginning of a completely new stage in Salah’s career.
The Egypt international spent nine years at Liverpool after joining the Premier League club in 2017.
During that period, he established himself as one of the most prolific forwards in the club’s history, scoring 257 goals before leaving Anfield this summer.
Salah’s departure initially appeared likely to lead him towards Saudi Arabia, but he ultimately chose a different route.
He signed a two-year contract with Trabzonspor and has now begun adapting to Turkish football.
Sunday’s performance was his third appearance for the club.
He had previously made his debut as a substitute against Kasimpasa before starting their Europa League play-off first-leg defeat by Ferencvaros.
His two goals against Basaksehir therefore represent his first major contribution since arriving in Turkey.
More importantly, they came in a competitive league fixture and helped Trabzonspor collect all three points.
Salah gives Trabzonspor early boost
Trabzonspor will hope the performance is the beginning of a productive partnership between the club and their high-profile new signing.
Salah’s experience at the highest level of European football gives Trabzonspor a player capable of influencing important matches, while his goalscoring record provides an obvious source of optimism.
For the player himself, the move represents an opportunity to begin another chapter away from the Premier League after almost a decade at Liverpool.
His first league start could hardly have gone much better.
Two goals, three points and a near hat-trick ensured Salah was the central figure as Trabzonspor secured victory over Basaksehir.
The Egyptian may have been denied a third goal by the offside flag, but his first two strikes were enough to give his new club the result they wanted.
After a memorable opening night in the Turkish Super Lig, Salah has already given Trabzonspor supporters plenty of reason to believe that his move to Turkey could produce another successful chapter in his remarkable career.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
