Two goals and two assists in two European matches: Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah goes into Trabzonspor’s home game against Freiburg, Thursday 5 November at Papara Park, in full confidence.
Trabzonspor’s European scoreboard bears Mohamed Salah’s signature. The 34-year-old winger, who arrived in Turkey this summer from Liverpool, has two goals and two assists in two European appearances this season, according to Foot Africa. Those stats accompany the Turkish club’s flawless run in the competition.
On Thursday 5 November, at Papara Park, Trabzonspor host Freiburg on matchday 3 of this league phase. It is a fixture the Egyptian international approaches in excellent spirits, having scored in each of his team’s first two matches in the tournament.
KuPS then Hearts: two complete performances
The league phase had nevertheless begun with a concern: the artificial pitch of Finnish club KuPS, on 15 October. That evening, Mohamed Salah scored and provided an assist in Trabzonspor’s 4-2 victory, according to Foot Africa.
A week later, on 22 October, he opened the scoring from the penalty spot against Scottish club Hearts. Two matches, two goals, plus two assists: that record sums up the start of the former Liverpool player’s European campaign.
A Turkish summer already paying off
Since his arrival at Trabzonspor this summer, Mohamed Salah has established himself as one of the most influential members of the squad, according to Foot Africa. His European statistics bear that out at this stage of the competition.
Freiburg, the next appointment
The visit of Freiburg, Thursday 5 November at Papara Park, is matchday 3 of the league phase for Trabzonspor. The stake for Mohamed Salah is to extend a personal run: he has found the net on each of the first two matchdays, and a goal against the German club would give him a third consecutive European match on the scoresheet.
It is a target, not an announcement: nothing is guaranteed on the eve of the match. Still, the output he has shown since the start of the league phase places the Egyptian winger at the heart of the expectations surrounding this duel, in a Papara Park hosting matchday 3 of the competition.