Serie A

Mohamed Salah Shines in Thomas Reis's Debut as Trabzonspor Dominates Galatasaray

September 20, 2026Pablo Navarro2 мин

Mohamed Salah gave his new coach Thomas Reis a perfect start at Trabzonspor.

Trabzonspor secured a decisive 4-0 win (3-0 at halftime) against league leaders Galatasaray Istanbul, who were previously undefeated. Salah netted three goals and set up Noah Saviolo's fourth for the team.

Salah put his team ahead in the fourth minute. After assisting Saviolo for the second goal (39th minute), he scored his second goal just before halftime (44th minute). He completed the rout with the fourth goal in the 80th minute.

For Reis, this victory marked a 'perfect debut.' The former manager of VfL Bochum and FC Schalke 04 was introduced as Trabzonspor's new coach last Wednesday.

Reis expressed pride in his team's execution: "We only had two intensive training sessions this week. The fact that the team implemented my game plan, with this overwhelming transition play and aggressive pressing, so flawlessly makes me proud. This is the deserved reward for the lads' hard work in the last few days," the 52-year-old commented on his team's performance.

Regarding Salah, Reis added: "Having a player of his class in the squad is a privilege. But today, the entire team perfectly closed down spaces, both defensively and offensively."

The Egyptian superstar called it an important win for Trabzonspor. "We haven't had easy weeks. The new coach has given us enormous tactical confidence in a short time. We knew Galatasaray was vulnerable after losing possession – we exploited those spaces ruthlessly. This victory must be the standard for the coming weeks."

Süper Lig Standings Update

Galatasaray's Leroy Sané started the match but failed to make an impact. His former national teammate Ilkay Gündogan did not play at all, remaining on the bench for the entire game.

With these three points, Trabzonspor temporarily moves up to fifth place in the Turkish Süper Lig table, though they could be overtaken after Sunday's matches.

Meanwhile, Galatasaray suffered their first loss of the season. However, Okan Buruk's team remains at the top of the league, one point ahead of city rivals Besiktas.