Samsunspor suffered a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at home to Trabzonspor in Round 21 of the Trendyol Süper Lig on . Paul Onuachu scored twice for Trabzonspor, with Ernest Muçi adding a late penalty to seal the victory, pushing the Black Sea club to 45 points in the league standings.
The win represents a significant boost for Trabzonspor and head coach Fatih Tekke, who emphasized the importance of the three points in a challenging away fixture. “We deserved the three points. It was a very difficult away game. Congratulations to our fans who came here,” Tekke said after the match, as reported by beIN SPORTS. “We have to move forward match by match. Every week is getting more difficult for us. There are people who want to reflect the opposite of the positive atmosphere in the team. That is not true. We are very good. Our belief is complete. We want more support. We will stand tall together.”
Tekke acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining momentum throughout the season, particularly in the face of external narratives. He directly addressed suggestions of negativity surrounding the team, asserting their strong belief and calling for increased support from fans. The coach’s comments suggest a desire to shield the squad from outside pressures and foster a unified environment.
Injury concerns are mounting for Trabzonspor ahead of their upcoming clash with Fenerbahçe. Tekke confirmed that Oleksandr Zubkov is unlikely to be fit in time for that crucial fixture. “Zubkov’s situation is very clear, hopefully he will be fit for the Fenerbahçe match. My initial information is that he will not be,” Tekke stated. This absence represents a blow to Trabzonspor’s attacking options, as Zubkov has been a key player this season.
Despite the setback with Zubkov, Tekke was pleased with the overall performance of his team, particularly highlighting their ability to secure a clean sheet. “We had a good win. We were able to finish the match without conceding a goal. It was a difficult away game, one of the most difficult in the league, we played against a very good team. I wish them success, especially in European matches. There are no easy matches for us. We congratulate our players on a good game and three points,” he said during the post-match press conference.
Tekke also spoke about the positive atmosphere within the Trabzonspor camp, emphasizing the progress made since his arrival. He contrasted the current situation with the team’s previous struggles, noting their inability to win on the road before his tenure. “We came to this point together with these players from a very difficult place. I have to renew this every time. When I came, we were talking about a Trabzonspor that had no away wins. Together with the young players, with their struggle, we have come to this point now, and that is very good. This struggle deserves respect. It deserves more support,” Tekke explained.
The coach pointed to individual performances as key to the victory, noting that when players reached their peak level, the team’s overall performance improved. He also discussed a tactical shift in the latter stages of the match, switching to a 5-3-2 formation. “When a few of our players reached the level we wanted today, the game went as we wanted. Actually, in the last part of the game, we changed the formation again. We went back to 5-3-2. People really like transition play. Transition play is not very difficult. In the current literature of football at the highest levels, only transition is important. Transition is of course a plan, but Trabzonspor cannot only play transition play. In this match, in particular, we had a team that wanted to attack. Almost every match, if I’m not mistaken, our star is the goalkeeper, while we haven’t seen that for a year or two. The positioning in the game, the player performances, many things change.”
Looking ahead to the transfer window, Tekke revealed that Trabzonspor had initially aimed to sign five new players but ultimately secured only three. This suggests that the club faced challenges in completing their desired moves, potentially due to financial constraints or difficulties in negotiations.
The upcoming match against Fenerbahçe is already generating significant anticipation. Tekke stressed the importance of treating the game like any other, emphasizing the need for concentration, analysis, and a strong desire to win. He also called for strong support from the home fans. “We are going match by match. We have a match at home that One can win. We must show that struggle not only against Fenerbahçe, but against whoever we play. We of course want support from the fans in the stands. But what I really want to say here is, let the referee speak. I was not happy with the referee at all. It has nothing to do with it, right? We won today, actually. There are things that bother me on the sidelines. It bothers me. Some don’t mind when they win. Some don’t mind when they lose, but we won, it bothers me. I feel it, I see it, I live it. The Fenerbahçe match is also like any other match for us, a match where we will get 3 points when we win, not get points when we lose, and get 1 point in a draw. We will try to make our fans smile again by concentrating well and analyzing well and showing our desire. There will be no extra motivation.”
The victory over Samsunspor provides a positive momentum for Trabzonspor as they prepare for a challenging run of fixtures, including the highly anticipated clash with Fenerbahçe. Tekke’s emphasis on unity, support, and focused preparation suggests a determined effort to maintain their strong form and compete for a top spot in the Süper Lig.
