Super Lig Weekly: Salah makes debut as Galatasaray & Fenerbahce drop points, Besiktas win

[p]Because the season is just underway and there are so many fresh, key talking points, this will be more of a scan through several results, rather than an in-depth focus on a handful.[/p][p]Starting off with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/galatasaray/riaqqurF/"]Galatasaray[/a], who kicked off the campaign against newly-promoted [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/corum-fk/0vne21BK/"]Corum[/a] on Friday evening, beginning their quest to win a record-breaking fifth straight Super Lig title.[/p][p]But it was far from a perfect start, as they needed Nigerian superstar [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/osimhen-victor/23YHG47R/"]Victor Osimhen[/a] to save them, bagging a brace in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/corum-0vne21BK/galatasaray-riaqqurF/?mid=jeJSIlq9"]a 2-2 draw[/a].[/p][embed guid="55142214-4b96-49f0-be26-afa760f1a1b8" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHlAqKp_wB4&t=45s" social-type="youtube" /][p]Osimhen had given them the lead with a fine finish from a tight angle, before Corum mounted a brilliant comeback to go 2-1 up. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kiziridis-alexandros/ADRRzdZT/"]Alexandros Kyziridis[/a] managed an early goal of the season contender, curling home an absolute stunner from long range for the club's first-ever strike in the top division.[/p][p]Corum went down to 10 men late on, and Osimhen headed home in added time to grab a point.[/p][p]Not a great result or performance for the champions, and with a lot of frustration and noise from supporters over their inactivity in the window, it only amplified the pressure. They have to be busy in the final few weeks. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/trabzonspor/MmsYDc03/"]Trabzonspor[/a] were in action the following day, with their seismic signing, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/salah-mohamed/08FBycgB/"]Mohamed Salah[/a], only ready for the bench. They visited [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kasimpasa/dOlaIG4l/"]Kasimpasa[/a] with a depleted team, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/muci-ernest/GhFHeiMu/"]Ernest Muci[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/batahov-arsenii/zBqCDQ4B/"]Arseniy Batagov[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jabol-folcarelli-tim/MT98e48G/"]Tim Jabol-Folcarelli[/a] were all missing due to injury.[/p][p]As a result, they looked a bit disjointed and flat in the final third, and they had to settle for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/kasimpasa-dOlaIG4l/trabzonspor-MmsYDc03/?mid=6RaoJcwh"]a 1-1 draw[/a]. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/saviolo-noah/KtPDMmNh/"]Noah Saviolo[/a] had given Trabzon the lead on his debut before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/benedyczak-adrian/KSn7To32/"]Adrian Benedyczak[/a] equalised for the home side after being awarded a pretty soft penalty.[/p][embed guid="c97de2a0-c2ab-49c9-b121-b4b3888414a5" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VveHHWSsjhg" social-type="youtube" /][p]Salah came on in the second half and was bright with some neat touches and crosses into the box. Trabzon will have to be better, but they surely will be when their best players return, and Salah gets up to speed.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fenerbahce/MsbmracL/"]Fenerbahce[/a] had the chance to capitalise on their rivals dropping points, but instead succumbed to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/fenerbahce-MsbmracL/genclerbirligi-GOPqBIRK/?mid=jyTYd7Mk"]a shock 2-1 loss[/a] at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/genclerbirligi/GOPqBIRK/"]Genclerbirligi[/a] - a side that will be fighting relegation.[/p][p]It was a dismal result to start the season, made all the more peculiar by manager Ismail Kartal's decision to put record signing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/greenwood-mason/hxe108Jl/"]Mason Greenwood[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kante-n-golo/IkmsHsOR/"]N'Golo Kante[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/semedo-nelson/EyHywivj/"]Nelson Semedo[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/akturkoglu-muhammed-kerem/UDQZylXj/"]Kerem Akturkoglu[/a] all on the bench.[/p][p]He had his eyes on the Champions League qualifying game against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lyon/2akflumR/"]Lyon[/a] in the middle of the week, but it is the first game of the league season; they don't need to be rested yet! It is more important to get up and running quickly.[/p][p]Regardless, this outfit should have been strong enough to win, especially considering they went 1-0 up courtesy of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/talisca-anderson/IaSmtEpe/"]Anderson Talisca[/a] and played so well for 30 minutes.[/p][embed guid="0983fab7-e0cc-4ebb-895d-250f5f7546aa" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBv5MviJkD8&t=278s" social-type="youtube" /][p]However, a poor giveaway from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guendouzi-matteo/6ZesE86o/"]Matteo Guendouzi[/a] in a dangerous area, and some sleepy defending from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ake-nathan/6LBvaQoh/"]Nathan Ake[/a] and the Fenerbahce defence, saw them hand their opponents two goals, and second-half substitutions couldn't see them back into the game.[/p][p]Salt was rubbed into wounds by the performance of the Genclerbirligi goalkeeper, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/egribayat-irfan/zgIqSdcN/"]Irfan Can Egribayat[/a], who was sold by Fenerbahce this summer, despite their goalkeeping issues. He was the best player on the pitch, producing a monstrous display between the sticks, making 10 saves.[/p][p]Usually, they save some of their meltdowns for the end of the season during a title race. This time, they delivered one in the very first game.[/p][p]Of course, it is nothing fatal right now, but they need to get rid of any mental fragilities, nerves or complacency as soon as possible so their 12-year drought without a Super Lig title isn't extended to 13.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/besiktas/IDmErJCR/"]Besiktas[/a] were the one title-chasing team to pick up all three points, sealing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/besiktas-IDmErJCR/eyupspor-276zKCgt/?mid=OMWZGSDL"]a 1-0 win[/a] over 10-man [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/eyupspor/276zKCgt/"]Eyupspor[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cerny-vaclav/v1TYQ6P9/"]Vaclav Cerny[/a] scored the only goal of the game, finishing emphatically after a delightful pass from the impressive [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olaitan-junior/dbzMsTaN/"]Junior Olaitan[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/trossard-leandro/xUAbnjp2/"]Leandro Trossard[/a] made his first start for the club since signing for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a], but did look well off the pace. He will need more minutes to get to full fitness.[/p][embed guid="39eb7f6e-4407-45ad-8682-45f6e2d1d048" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T85B_iKVJQs" social-type="youtube" /][p]Despite it being a narrow win against a team that many tip to get relegated, it was a really organised and controlled performance - a common theme under new manager Vincenzo Italiano.[/p][p]They have played five competitive matches now under Italiano (including Europa League qualifiers), and they are yet to concede a goal. The calibre of opposition must be taken into account, but there have been positive signs.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ozcan-salih/2sPPKXyd/"]Salih Ozcan[/a] has been excellent since joining on a free from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/dortmund/nP1i5US1/"]Borussia Dortmund[/a] in midfield, and he is playing so well next to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kokcu-orkun/KYsUHUd0/"]Orkun Kokcu[/a]. He could prove to be one of the signings of the summer in Turkey.[/p][p]They have not been scoring many goals, though, despite their dominance and the number of shots they have. However, when Trossard finds his feet and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vlahovic-dusan/Ct0rhfn7/"]Dusan Vlahovic[/a] joins the team, they will hope that issue is solved.[/p][p]A lot of reasons to be optimistic for Besiktas.[/p][p]Elsewhere, Kurdish side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/amedspor/EHdgkFvm/"]Amedspor[/a] won the battle of newly promoted sides, beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/erzurumspor-fk/xQZ3CpVE/"]Erzurumspor[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/amedspor-EHdgkFvm/erzurumspor-xQZ3CpVE/?mid=px11FFxH"]3-0[/a]. [/p][embed guid="7a08adcb-6e8d-4c2c-9ebc-f2f170df1cb6" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzsO1Pgi1c0" social-type="youtube" /][p]League debutants Amedspor and Corum have spent a lot of money in an attempt to remain in the league, with the former signing players like [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lafont-alban/p64JKtYL/"]Alban Lafont[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gift-emmanuel/K8mhV4Es/"]Gift Orban[/a], and the latter bringing in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diomande-mohammed/CIwGzpBG/"]Mohammed Diomande[/a] from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rangers/8vAWQXNS/"]Rangers[/a].[/p][p]They have a very good chance of being safe this season, but it'll be more of a slog for Erzurumspor, who have played in the Super Lig just twice before.[/p][p]Two teams competing for European football, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/samsunspor/pSc6z7bf/"]Samsunspor[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/goztepe/0MJlDkrA/"]Goztepe[/a], played out a thrilling [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/goztepe-0MJlDkrA/samsunspor-pSc6z7bf/?mid=f5N5B6yq"]3-3[/a] draw on Monday evening, as Samsun's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yuksel-celil/djPEvQEb/"]Celil Yuksel[/a] scored a rocket in the 90th minute to salvage a point.[/p][embed guid="32f166ee-7e03-4398-828b-b684814746f3" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhJx0-cdGjQ" social-type="youtube" /][p]Two very well-run teams who operate smartly in the window, they will prove to be tough opposition for anyone this season. [/p][p]On a side note, there were a pair of abysmal penalties awarded in this game. The standard of officiating remains in the gutter in Turkey, despite the appointment of former Premier League and FIFA referee Anthony Taylor as the Turkish Football Federation's Director of Elite Refereeing this summer.[/p][image alt="Super Lig standings" id="232a1bf3-b88f-4a86-9778-30b11807ca08" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="c59c6cad-6452-46e1-96eb-f70c8ac0399b" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][h2]Team of the Week[/h2][image alt="Team of the Week" id="736aa82e-7e08-4c58-a295-05c6066ba40a" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="ba5cb6ef-f23f-4bf2-a0a7-3d696fbfcbb8" original-width="1080" original-height="1350" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/egribayat-irfan/zgIqSdcN/"]Irfan Can[/a] is the Flashscore Player of the Week, according to our very own internal ratings system, after his imperious display in goal for Genclerbirligi.[/p][p]Besiktas' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yilmaz-ridvan/0SJPZbWk/"]Ridvan Yilmaz[/a] and Olaitan make the starting XI alongside Galatasaray duo Osimhen and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/akgun-yunus/GMMnzfim/"]Yunus[/a]. Fenerbahce's Talisca is also included. [/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/turkey/super-lig/"]Follow the Turkish Super Lig with Flashscore![/a][/h2][infobox id="a9570b4f-da31-4683-ae60-9f920c0540d9" /]