Mohamed Salah’s impressive performance for Trabzonspor against Istanbul Basaksehir turned into one of the most controversial matches of the second round of the Turkish league, as the Egyptian star scored both goals in his side’s victory while two more efforts were ruled out.

Trabzonspor secured a 2-1 win, but the post-match discussion quickly shifted from Salah’s brace to the refereeing decisions that angered the club’s hierarchy, prompting president Ertugrul Dogan to strongly criticize the standard of officiating.

Salah’s Dramatic Night

Salah produced one of his most influential performances since joining Trabzonspor, scoring both goals against Basaksehir and leading his side to an important victory in the second round of the new season.

The Egyptian forward could have finished the match with an even more remarkable tally after finding the net on two additional occasions, only for both goals to be disallowed.

Trabzonspor also appealed for a penalty following an incident involving Salah, but the referee waved away the protests before later showing the Egyptian international a yellow card.

Despite ultimately collecting all three points, the series of controversial decisions triggered strong protests from Trabzonspor’s players and officials.

Latest News

Trabzonspor Add €17m Guinea-Bissau Striker Franculino Djú to Mohamed Salah’s AttackHaissem Hassan Dazzles Celtic Fans, but Is Match Fitness the Final Hurdle?

Dogan Escalates

Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan made his frustration clear after the final whistle, saying the refereeing his team had experienced during the opening two weeks of the season had been far from satisfactory.

Dogan stressed that the club has been working for a long period to build a team capable of competing for major objectives and does not want its matches to be dominated by tension caused by refereeing decisions.

He also directed his criticism towards the Turkish Football Federation, warning that poor refereeing can damage the competition and hinder the development of Turkish football.

The Trabzonspor president called for greater concentration and caution from officials across the league and made it clear that the club would continue to defend its rights against decisions it considers unfair.

Trabzonspor therefore left the Basaksehir clash with three valuable points and another standout performance from Salah, but the refereeing controversy ensured that the debate extended well beyond the final whistle.