Trabzonspor 3-1 Metalist: Ersun Yanal strikes again [divider]
Ersun Yanal guided Trabzonspor to their second win in a row since taking over earlier this month with a 3-1 win against Metalist Kharkiv in the Europa League.
Yanal opted for an attacking 4-1-4-1 setup making use of three forwards, Oscar Cardozo, Majeed Waris and Yatabare.
Trabzonspor took the lead in the first half with a header from Belkalem. The goal was Trabzonspor’s 11th from set-pieces in all competitions this season.
Volodymyr Homenyuk equalised for Metalist in the second half and the Ukranian sides looked favourites to take the lead when Carl Medjani was sent off 13 minutes from time.
However, the star of the show Mehmet Ekici put Trabzonspor back ahead with a driving effort from outside the penalty area.
Ekici pulled the creative strings in midfield and completed the most passes 58 with an 86 percent accuracy. The Turkish international also worked hard defensively and completed more tackles than any of his teammates (3).
Sefa Yılmaz secured progress into the Round of 32 with Trabzonspor’s third goal in the last minutes.
Metalist take on Lokeren while Legia host Trabzonspor in the next round of games on 11 December 2014.
Trabzonspor 3-1 Metalist
Stadium: Avni Aker
Referee: Mattias Gestranius
Kick-Off: 18.00 (GMT)
Trabzonspor: Fatih, Bosingwa, Medjani, Belkalem, Papadopoulos, Yusuf, Mehmet, Soner, Cardozo, Waris, Yatabare
Manager: Ersun Yanal
Metalist: Goryainov, Villagra, Torsiglieri, Pshenychnykh, Gueye, Krasnopyorov, Tkachuk, Kobin, Rebenok, Homenyuk, Jaja
Manager: Ihor Rakhayev
Goals: .36 Belkalem, .68 Homenyuk, .87 Ekici, .90 Yılmaz
