Salah eager to end his away-goal drought
Mohamed Salah will be one of the players to watch when Trabzonspor travel to face Çaykur Rizespor in a Black Sea derby in the ninth round of the Trendyol Süper Lig. The Egyptian forward has been prolific on home turf this season, but he is looking to carry that scoring form into away matches.
Salah has scored eight league goals, placing him at the top of the goalscoring race. His contribution has been especially strong in front of Trabzonspor’s home crowd: he found the net against Başakşehir, Gençlerbirliği, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş, collecting seven goals and two assists across those fixtures.
Away from home, however, the numbers have been more modest. In four matches on the road for Trabzonspor, Salah has scored once. That goal came in the team’s 2-1 defeat to Amed Sportif Faaliyetler. He did not score against Kasımpaşa, Konyaspor or Samsunspor.
The contrast between his home and away performances makes the trip to Rizespor an important opportunity for the forward. A goal in the derby would not only help Trabzonspor in a demanding fixture, but could also ease the pressure created by his recent run without an away strike.
Salah remains a central figure in Trabzonspor’s attacking plans. His scoring record at home has made him one of the side’s most reliable sources of goals, while his ability to provide assists gives the team another route to creating chances. Against Rizespor, the hosts will need to account for both threats.
For Trabzonspor, an away goal from their leading scorer could prove particularly valuable in a match expected to carry plenty of intensity. Derbies can be shaped by small details, and an early breakthrough may influence the tempo and the way both teams approach the game. Salah’s movement and finishing could therefore have a significant bearing on the visitors’ attacking performance.
The Egyptian will also have personal motivation to maintain his position at the summit of the league’s scoring chart. A strong display in Rize would help him preserve his advantage in the race while showing that his impact is not limited to matches played at Trabzonspor’s home ground.
Ending the away drought will require more than simply repeating his home approach. Trabzonspor will need to move the ball into dangerous areas and provide Salah with opportunities to attack the space around the opposition defence. If the team can create those openings, the forward will have a chance to convert his recent home form into goals on the road.
The derby is therefore a test both for Trabzonspor’s attack and for Salah’s consistency. His scoring record at home has already made him one of the team’s key players this season; now the focus turns to whether he can deliver the same decisive contribution away from home.
A goal against Çaykur Rizespor would mark a fresh start for Salah on his travels and strengthen Trabzonspor’s hopes of getting a result in the ninth-round fixture. The forward is expected to be one of the visitors’ most important attacking options as he seeks to end his away scoring drought.