Mohamed Salah scores first two Super Lig goals as Trabzonspor beat Basaksehir 2-1
Mohamed Salah scores first two Super Lig goals as Trabzonspor beat Basaksehir 2-1
Mohamed Salah needed barely eight minutes to win over his new public, scoring twice on his first Trabzonspor start to secure a 2-1 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir on Sunday at Papara Park.
The former Liverpool forward had endured a quiet debut off the bench in last week's 1-1 draw with Kasimpasa, but he was handed his first start and made an instant impact. Salah reacted quickest when Basaksehir goalkeeper Muhammed Sengezer inexplicably dropped what should have been a routine catch, finishing past three covering defenders on the swivel.
The visitors drew level through a penalty from former Roma attacker Eldor Shomurodov, awarded after Chibuike Nwaiwu's handball. But Salah was determined to secure the points and restored Trabzonspor's lead three minutes into the second half with a trademark finish, cutting inside from the right flank and exchanging passes with Ernest Muci before finding the far corner.
Salah was later booked for diving when it appeared he may have been scythed down by Emin Bayram inside the penalty area, but Trabzonspor held on for their first win of the 2026-27 campaign. Paul Onuachu and Sidny Lopes Cabral had missed good chances as the hosts saw the game out.
A star turn in Turkiye
It did not take long for Salah to prove his quality in Turkiye. Trabzonspor have now won 16 points from the last 18 available against Basaksehir in the Super Lig (W5 D1), continuing their recent dominance over the Istanbul side.
Salah's opener made him the third Egyptian player to find the net for Trabzonspor in the Super Lig, after Ayman Abdel-Aziz and Trezeguet. His second — a finish Liverpool fans became accustomed to seeing regularly — made him the first foreign player to score twice against Basaksehir for the club.
Statistically, Salah was the central figure of the match. He led all players on the pitch for shots (five), shots on target (four) and chances created (six), contributing 0.46 to his team's total of 2.04 expected goals. Basaksehir finished with 1.81 xG, a figure boosted by Shomurodov's penalty.