Trabzonspor made it back-to-back victories in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday evening, cruising to a disciplined 2-0 win over Scottish Premiership side Heart of Midlothian at Papara Park.
Despite early pressure from the visitors and a late red card for defender Cabral deep in stoppage time, Thomas Reis’s side commanded central channels to move onto six points in European group competition.
Salah & Dju Dictate Black Sea Clash
After Hearts missed early opening chances—including Malachi Fagan-Walcott striking the post in the 7th minute—Trabzonspor established vertical dominance:
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Spot-Kick Opener (32′): Franculino Dju drew a foul inside the penalty box from Tomas Magnusson. Mohamed Salah stepped up to convert calmly down the middle, recording his second European goal of the campaign.
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Dju Doubles Advantage (58′): Salah turned provider early in the second half, picking out Dju on the right channel before the forward dispatched a left-footed strike into the top corner.
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Defensive Lockdown: André Onana was rarely threatened after the opening ten minutes as Trabzonspor’s central structure suppressed Hearts’ long-ball transitions.
Late Red Card & European Standings
The fixture ended on a physical note with a sequence of yellow cards across both teams. In the 95th minute, Cabral received a second yellow card for a late challenge, leaving Trabzonspor with 10 men moments before the final whistle.
The 2-0 victory builds on Trabzonspor’s opening Matchday 1 win against KuPS, solidifying their standing near the top of the Conference League table ahead of November’s European fixtures.
