Salah chases an elusive European goal with Trabzon | Goal.com

In Trabzon, the talk is no longer about merely a good start, but about a new goalscoring phenomenon bearing a name that every Egyptian adores. All eyes are on the Egyptian star Mohamed Salah, who within just a few weeks has become an icon for the Trabzonspor fans, as he prepares to take on a new challenge: scoring his first European goals in the maroon and blue shirt against Finland's KuPS Kuopio.

Salah (34) goes into this encounter sitting atop the Turkish Super Lig scoring charts with 7 goals, an explosive start nobody saw coming. In the first seven weeks alone, the Egyptian has been directly involved in 10 of the 16 goals Trabzonspor have scored. Seven goals, three assists. No one in the squad carries a bigger attacking threat.

The match against KuPS Kuopio carries special significance for Salah, according to the Turkish website "61saat", as it will be his third European appearance in a Trabzonspor shirt. He previously featured in both Europa League play-off legs against Hungary's Ferencvaros, playing the full 90 minutes in the first leg, a 1-0 home defeat, and 64 minutes in the return, a heavy 4-0 loss away.

Europe holds no mysteries for him. Fifty goals in the Champions League, 4 more in its qualifying rounds and 10 in the Europa League across his career. Yet that first continental goal in a Trabzonspor shirt still eludes him.

His goalscoring journey with the club began from the substitutes' bench, coming on in the 58th minute against Kasimpasa. Then came Basaksehir. Handed a start, he struck twice to drive his side to a 2-1 win.

He kept the habit going against Amedspor, then took his tally to 4 with a penalty against Genclerbirligi, before reaching the summit with a historic hat-trick in the derby against Galatasaray. That left him level at the top of the scoring charts with Amedspor's Urban on 7 goals.

International press have taken notice. Al Jazeera devoted a special report to the run, confirming Salah had broken a record with his direct involvement in 10 goals in his first 7 league matches, while the Liverpool Echo picked out his three goals and an assist in the Galatasaray derby, plus the pass that set up team-mate Francolino away at Samsunspor.

Collectively, the numbers reveal a curious scoring trend for Trabzonspor this season. The side have scored 75% of their goals in the first half, 12 of their 16 in total, including 5 in the opening 15 minutes, two between the 16th and 30th minutes and 5 between the 31st and 45th minutes, at a rate of 2.29 goals per game.

After the break, the well runs dry. Not a single goal between the 46th and 60th minutes, only two between the 61st and 75th, and two more in stoppage time.

Defensively, Trabzonspor have been every bit as impressive, shipping only 5 goals in 7 matches, 3 of them in the first half and two in the second. That points to real harmony in the back line and the striking form of goalkeeper Onana, who has been decisive in that solidity.