Salah Scores Brace as Trabzonspor Beat Istanbul Basaksehir 2-1

Mohamed Salah scored twice as Trabzonspor defeated Istanbul Basaksehir 2-1 on Saturday, marking an impressive first start for the Egyptian forward in the Turkish Super Lig.

The 34-year-old, who joined Trabzonspor on a two-year contract after leaving Liverpool as a free agent, opened his account for the club in his third appearance.

Salah gave Trabzonspor the lead after capitalising on a costly mistake by Basaksehir goalkeeper Muhammed Sengezer.

The Egyptian forward seized possession from the goalkeeper before his effort took a deflection and went into the net off the inside of the post.

Basaksehir responded from the penalty spot, with Eldor Shomurodov converting to bring the hosts level.

Salah, however, restored Trabzonspor’s advantage shortly afterwards with a first-time finish from around 10 yards.

The forward continued to threaten as Trabzonspor held on to their lead, while Basaksehir struggled to find another equaliser.

Salah came close to completing his hat-trick during stoppage time when he found the net from approximately 45 yards after the goalkeeper had been beaten.

The effort was ruled out for offside, denying him a spectacular third goal.

Earlier in the second half, Salah was booked for simulation after going down inside the penalty area.

Despite missing out on a hat-trick, his two goals proved decisive as Trabzonspor secured all three points.

The performance represents a strong start to Salah’s career in Turkey after his high-profile move to Trabzonspor.

His brace also provided an immediate boost to the club’s campaign, with the Turkish side looking to establish themselves as contenders during the season.

Salah’s experience and attacking quality are expected to play a significant role for Trabzonspor as the campaign progresses, particularly following his departure from Liverpool.

The victory gives the club valuable momentum, while Salah’s early goals will further increase expectations surrounding his contribution to the Turkish side.