Things are not going well in Trabzonspor, which is just above the relegation zone. Şenol Güneş, whose name was given to the club’s stadium, could not solve the problems. Still, the coach’s habit of playing big matches will perhaps be one of the most important weapons of the claret-blue team against the leader. Although the Nwakaeme-Visca-Cham-Banza quartet promises a lot on paper, it creates difficulties for the team, especially defensively. The chord that has not been performed since the beginning of the season upsets the fans. Especially the weaknesses that the deficiencies in the defensive center can create against the last champion make us wonder before the kick-off. While one wonders about the performance of Lundstram, who is originally a forward libero, at centre-back, the away team needs to have a great team defense.
Galatasaray started fast and was ahead in the 8th minute. The attack started with a long ball thrown to Barış Alper, and it was Mertens who completed Yunus’ wonderful pass. Immediately afterwards, Mendy’s wonderful shot was deflected into the corner by Muslera.
Falling behind, Trabzonspor was pushing the opponent’s goal and found the goal it was looking for in the 17th minute. In the developing counter, Ozan Tufan headed Cham’s cross well. While Trabzonsor was playing better, the hosts were ahead again in the 29th minute. Yunus scored a great goal from outside the penalty area. In the 33rd minute, Aslan caught the ball with a front court press and Sallai could not pass Uğurcan from the left diagonal. Immediately afterwards, this time Sallai brought it, and Uğurcan made a great shot from Barış Alper. Three goals were scored in the first 45 minutes of the match, which created excitement in every action.
The second half seemed pregnant with everything, from cards to goals. It seemed that the coaches’ moves would determine the score…
Draguş was in the game instead of Visca in the second half. At the 50th minute, the score was equalized again. Taking advantage of Abdülkerim’s amateurish mistake, Banza hunted Muslera. The away team was ahead in the 56th minute. In the attack that started with Eren’s cross, Banza took it down and Ozan Tufan finished it. There would be a lot of debate about whether Eren turned the ball inside or outside…
In the attack that developed in the 61st minute, Mertens was down due to Malheiro’s intervention, and referee Kadir Sağlam indicated the penalty spot with the help of VAR. Batshuayi took the shot and equalized the score again.
Uğurcan, who first said no to Barış Alper and then to Yunus, became giant in his goal, and immediately after that, Trabzonspor was effective. Russian roulette was being played on the lawn. The ball was in that goal and in that goal. Both sides were going vertically. Buruk, who threw Osimhen and Jakobs onto the field in the last episode, wanted to take the reins again.
During extra time, the ball that Draguş had passed over Muslera was intercepted by Abdülkerim, the worst of the day, in a spectacular way. Otherwise, the home team would take the lead again. During the extra time, Batshuayi’s ball hit the post, and just when we thought the match was over, Ali Şahin was sending the ball into his own net after Sara’s free throw. With this last-minute goal, the match ended with the leader leading 4-3.
On the return from the European Cup, Galatasaray managed to win the match in which they had toiled. At the end of the matches played with a narrow rotation, the team’s battery seems to have run out. Buruk’s football, which does not let the players on the field or even the millions watching take a breath, is mind-blowing. The contributions to be made in the interim transfer to the squad, where the 37-year-old Mertens is indispensable, are wondered. As for Trabzonspor… They played very well. Nwakaekeme and Banza were truly amazing. It seems possible that they can get out of their current situation with a few new players.
We should thank both teams for this banquet and applaud them…
