Mohamed Salah gives Trabzonspor a new dimension, says Fatih Tekke

Fatih Tekke says Mohamed Salah’s introduction changed the shape of Trabzonspor’s game, despite the club opening their Turkish league campaign with a frustrating 1-1 draw at Kasımpasa on Saturday evening.

Trabzonspor conceded an equaliser from the penalty spot after what their manager described as a “very big mistake”, having failed to turn a strong first-half performance into a decisive lead.

Tekke admitted his side were not fully prepared for the opening match but felt they had done enough before the interval to secure all three points.

“We said from the beginning that we were not ready, but in the first half we performed better than I expected. We should have finished the match in that half,” he said after the game.

Trabzonspor had to settle for a draw after Kasımpasa levelled from a penalty. Tekke said the hosts also created dangerous opportunities late in the match, but believed his team had been responsible for surrendering victory.

“We conceded the equaliser from a penalty after a very big mistake. In the final minutes, the opponent also had good chances. You can say that we lost the three points because of the mistake we made,” said Tekke.

Salah, who has recently joined Trabzonspor, came on in the 58th minute. His manager observed a noticeable difference in the team’s performance after the Egypt international entered the match.

“Our match after Salah’s participation was slightly different from the match without him,” Tekke said.

However, the Trabzonspor manager stressed that the arrival of the experienced forward did not resolve all of the team’s weaknesses. He called for improvements in possession, control of the game, concentration and intensity.

“We have some shortcomings, and our feelings and desire in the match should have been greater. We need to keep the match under our control more. It was an unfortunate start, and we have to admit that we did not succeed,” he added.

The draw leaves Trabzonspor with one point from their opening fixture, while Tekke warned that the next few weeks would be important for the club’s plans.

Trabzonspor face a significant European fixture on Thursday against a stronger opponent before taking on Basaksehir. Tekke said both matches would present substantial challenges as his side attempt to build momentum.

He urged his players to move on quickly from the dropped points at Kasımpasa and focus on the demanding schedule ahead.

“From tomorrow, we have to forget this match and start preparing for what is coming. We have no choice but to continue working,” Tekke said.