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Turkish firestorm rattles Finnish frost
Trabzonspor arrived in Kuopio like a Turkish coffee‑shop on a snow day – hot, relentless and impossible to ignore. The Turkish side turned the modest 2‑4 defeat into a masterclass in counter‑attacking flair, while KuPS were left chasing shadows and a few stray passes that never quite found the net.
From the first whistle, the Black Sea contingent showed they weren’t here for a friendly. A blistering 20‑yard strike from midfielder Umut Savaş (8.3) set the tone, slipping through the KuPS backline before the home crowd could finish their first cup of coffee. The Finns tried to answer, but their best chance – a scrappy header from Joonas Kettunen that rattled the post – was more a reminder that they were still waking up.
The turning point came in the 27th minute when Mert Çelik – a winger who’s been on a loan‑spell diet of pure speed – sliced a through‑ball to Mert Hakan. The Turkish striker, who finished the night with a cool‑headed brace, slotted the ball home (8.5). The KuPS defence, already looking like a set‑piece after a night out, scrambled, only to concede a second goal three minutes later when Ali Yıldırım latched onto a corner and headed home unchallenged (8.0).
KuPS finally tasted the back of the net in the 38th minute, courtesy of a well‑timed run by Eero Laaksonen. The goal was a brief flicker of hope, but it was too little, too late. The half‑time whistle blew with the Turkish side already two ahead, and the Finnish side’s morale was as frosted over as the stadium’s roof.
The second half was a showcase of Trabzonspor’s depth. Substitutes Can Demir and Barış Öztürk added fresh legs, each carving out a goal in quick succession (7.9, 7.8). The Turkish side’s midfield, anchored by Umut Savaş, controlled possession 62 % of the time, while KuPS struggled to keep a clean sheet even on the counter‑attack.
What does this mean for the Conference League table? Trabzonspor leapfrogs a direct rival, moving into the top two of Group C and solidifying a ticket to the knockout rounds. KuPS, meanwhile, slip a spot, now fighting to avoid the relegation‑playoff zone. The Finnish side will have to tighten up at the back if they hope to stay afloat, while the Turks can already start planning their next away trip with a smile.
Player Ratings
- Mert Hakan (Trabzonspor) – 8.5
- Umut Savaş (Trabzonspor) – 8.3
- Mert Çelik (Trabzonspor) – 8.0
- Can Demir (Trabzonspor) – 7.9
- Eero Laaksonen (KuPS) – 7.4