Trabzonspor start the season with a heavily rotated side — seven of their usual starters are missing, leaving a disjointed unit that lost its only home outing and generated just 0.85 expected goals across two games. Başakşehir, by contrast, opened with a clean-sheet victory and…
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Sign inTrabzonspor welcome Başakşehir to Papara Park in Trabzon on 23 August 2026 for a round‑two Süper Lig encounter that pits last season’s third‑place side against an opponent who made a confident start to the new campaign.
Trabzonspor are likely to hand another start to new signing Salah, whose rapid integration into Fatih Tekke’s plans after just nine days at the club added an unpredictable edge to their season opener. The forward is expected to support Paul Onuachu, the Lagos‑born striker who topped the Süper Lig scoring charts with 22 goals in 2025‑26. For Başakşehir, no fresh injuries have been reported, and manager Emre Belözoğlu is set to keep faith with the side that recorded a 2‑0 victory in their first fixture. Eldor Shomurodov, the reigning Golden Boot winner – also with 22 strikes last term – opened his account from the bench, while Abbosbek Fayzullayev provided an assist for Christopher Operi’s 14th‑minute opener.
The Black Sea club won 20 of their 34 league matches last season, drawing nine and losing five to amass 69 points and finish third behind Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray. Their attack, which produced 61 goals, was powered by Onuachu and Felipe Augusto (13). Pre‑season was mixed: a 0‑3 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on 26 July, a 1‑0 win over Udinese on 2 August, and a 1‑2 loss to Göztepe on 8 August. The depth in a squad that includes Ernest Muci, Ozan Tufan and goalkeeper Andre Onana means Tekke’s men are a stubborn home proposition, even if their opening league result left room for improvement.
The Istanbul side began 2026‑27 with a clean sheet and a confident display that underlined why their Uzbek stars will be vital again. Fayzullayev’s early assist and Shomurodov’s instinctive 72nd‑minute finish demonstrated the efficiency that made the captain the league’s top scorer a year ago. With Shomurodov leading the line and Fayzullayev pulling the strings in attacking midfield, Başakşehir will travel to the Black Sea coast convinced they can trouble any defence.
Two of the Süper Lig’s most ruthless finishers go head‑to‑head. Onuachu’s physical presence and aerial threat demand constant attention from the Başakşehir backline, while Shomurodov’s clever movement and one‑touch finishing make him lethal in transition. Whichever striker finds the net first could shape an afternoon that will largely be decided in both penalty areas.
The victor will carry vital momentum into the third round of fixtures and strengthen their claim as a genuine contender in a league dominated by the Istanbul giants. A share of the points would leave both sides still searching for a definitive early‑season statement.
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