Making their debut in the league phase of the UECL, Trabzonspor came into this game as heavy favourites, bolstered by a run of three wins in their last four matches in all competitions. By contrast, KuPS have been faltering in the defence of their Finnish crown, with just one win in six games (D2, L3) leaving them third after 27 games.
Perhaps lacking confidence, the hosts were dealt an early blow as Trabzonspor raced into a third-minute lead thanks to Paul Onuachu, who latched onto Mohamed Salah’s first-time pass before holding off his marker and tucking home.
Sadly for the goalscorer, his evening was cut short in the 10th minute when he was forced off through injury, but his side remained on top in his absence. Five red cards had been shown in Trabzonspor’s last eight games across all competitions, and a sixth was brandished here, although in unusual circumstances.
Piotr Parzyszek was originally dismissed for a second yellow card, but the dismayed striker was thankful when the referee corrected himself, having not previously booked him. Despite this, KuPS found themselves two goals down at the break, as they failed to clear their lines, allowing Salah to curl a sumptuous strike into the top corner for his first European goal for his new club.
Just two minutes after the restart, the game appeared all but over when Wagner Pina timed his run from full-back to perfection, giving him the space to square the ball to Franculino, who converted with a simple side-foot finish.
Only Petteri Pennanen will know if he meant to go for goal when he pulled one back in the 54th minute, with the KuPS captain bending a corner all the way in to leave Andre Onana red-faced. Unbelievably, the hosts could have reduced the arrears further just four minutes later, but having been awarded a penalty for a handball, Parzyszek saw his spot-kick saved by Onana before skying the rebound.
Onana had to remain alert to keep KuPS at bay, but in the end, Trabzonspor added gloss to the scoreline with Franculino netting his second of the evening on his European debut for the club, tucking home on the counter.
A much-improved second-half display did yield a stoppage-time consolation from Gustav Engvall, who thrashed home a loose ball, but there was ultimately no way back for the Finnish side, as Trabzonspor came out on top, 4-2, in their first-ever head-to-head meeting.
For KuPS, defeat here means they’ve now won just one of their last 16 matches in Europe (D6, L9).