Mohamed Salah announced himself in Turkish football in spectacular fashion, scoring twice as Trabzonspor defeated Istanbul Basaksehir 2-1 to secure their first Super Lig victory of the season.
The Egyptian forward produced a match winning performance on Sunday, scoring in both halves and showing flashes of the quality that made him one of the Premier League’s most feared attackers during his nine year spell with Liverpool. Salah’s brace was even more significant because it represented his first goals for Trabzonspor since joining the Turkish club as a free agent this summer.
Salah needed only eight minutes to open his Trabzonspor account.
The goal came after Basaksehir goalkeeper Muhammed Sengezer failed to deal cleanly with the ball inside his area. Salah reacted quickest to the loose ball, showing the sharp instincts that have been a trademark of his career, before finishing to give the hosts an early 1-0 advantage.
It was an opportunistic goal, but exactly the type of moment Salah has built his reputation on. The Egyptian remained alert when others switched off and immediately punished the defensive mistake.
Basaksehir refused to collapse, however, and gradually began finding opportunities of their own.
Their pressure eventually produced an equaliser in the 19th minute when Eldor Shomurodov converted from the penalty spot. The Uzbekistan international made no mistake from 12 yards, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way and bringing the visitors level at 1-1.
The equaliser gave Basaksehir renewed confidence, but Salah remained a constant threat. Trabzonspor continued to look towards their new attacking star whenever they moved forward, with the former Liverpool winger also taking responsibility from set pieces.
Salah tested the Basaksehir goalkeeper again before half time, while Paul Onuachu and Ernest Muçi also looked dangerous as Trabzonspor searched for a second goal.
The hosts eventually regained the lead just three minutes after the restart.
In the 48th minute, Salah combined brilliantly with Muçi before receiving the return pass inside the area. The Egyptian then kept his composure and produced a precise left foot finish into the far corner to make it 2-1.
It was a goal that showcased a different side of Salah’s game. Rather than simply capitalising on a mistake, he participated in the build up, exchanged passes with Muçi and finished the move with the composure of an experienced forward.
The second goal also proved to be the decisive moment of the match.
Basaksehir attempted to respond, but Trabzonspor defended their advantage while continuing to threaten on the counter. Salah remained at the centre of the action and came close to completing what would have been a memorable hat trick.
His afternoon became even more eventful when he was booked for simulation after going down inside the penalty area. The decision denied him an opportunity to potentially extend Trabzonspor’s advantage and added another controversial moment to an already dramatic performance.
Then came the biggest twist of the evening.
Deep into stoppage time, Salah appeared to complete his hat trick after finding the net from distance with the Basaksehir goalkeeper away from his goal. The strike would have been one of the goals of the season, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
The decision meant Salah had to settle for two goals, but those two strikes were enough to give Trabzonspor all three points.
The victory was particularly important for the club after they had opened their league campaign with a 1-1 draw away to Kasimpasa. Salah had made his competitive debut in that match as a 58th minute substitute, meaning this was his first Super Lig start for the Turkish side.
His immediate impact will excite Trabzonspor supporters, who have been eagerly waiting to see what their high profile summer signing can bring to the team.
The 34 year old left Liverpool after nine trophy filled seasons and chose a new challenge in Turkey. His move to Trabzonspor represented one of the biggest transfers in the club’s recent history, with expectations understandably high following his extraordinary Premier League career.
Against Basaksehir, Salah offered an early indication that he still possesses the finishing ability, movement and intelligence that made him one of Europe’s elite forwards.
Trabzonspor will now turn their attention towards their Europa League campaign, where they face Ferencvaros in the second leg of their playoff tie on Thursday. The Turkish side trail 1-0 from the first meeting and will need another influential performance from Salah if they are to overturn the deficit.
For now, though, the headlines belong to the Egyptian.
Two goals, three points and a performance filled with drama marked Salah’s first Super Lig start for Trabzonspor. The disallowed hat trick only added to the excitement, but his brace had already done the important work.
Salah has arrived in Turkey, and he has wasted little time reminding everyone of what he can do.
Goal Timeline: Mohamed Salah 8′ | Eldor Shomurodov 19′ penalty | Mohamed Salah 48′.
