Mohamed Salah made his first appearance in a Trabzonspor shirt during his new team’s 1-1 draw with Kasimpasa in the opening round of the Turkish Super Lig.
The Egyptian star began the match on the bench, having joined the team only a few days prior, before coach Fatih Tekke brought him on in the second half in search of a winning goal.
Trabzonspor took the lead in the 43rd minute through young Belgian striker Noah Saviolo, following an assist from Metehan Mimaroglu, to end the first half with a 1-0 advantage.
However, Kasimpasa managed to equalize ten minutes into the second half when Adrian Benedyczak converted a penalty kick. This prompted Fatih Tekke to bring Salah on in place of Mimaroglu in the 58th minute.
The Egypt national team captain received more than half an hour in his debut, operating on the right wing and attempting to help his team regain the lead. However, he did not manage to score or assist, as the match ended in a draw with each team earning their first point of the season.
Salah joined Trabzonspor on a free transfer following the end of his historic journey with Liverpool, starting a new chapter of his career in the Turkish league after nine years spent with the Reds.
Salah will not wait long for his first European test with his new team, as Trabzonspor hosts Hungarian side Ferencvaros on Thursday, August 20, in the first leg of the Europa League playoff round. The match will kick off at 8:00 PM local time.
As for the next domestic match, Trabzonspor will face Basaksehir at Papara Park on Sunday, August 23, at 8:00 PM, in the second round of the Turkish Super Lig.
Thus, Salah’s debut came quietly and without a goal contribution, but all eyes will now turn to the Ferencvaros clash, which could offer the Egyptian King the chance to score his first goals and guide his team one step closer to the Europa League group stage.
