In the last match of the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifications Group E, Spain and Turkey faced each other at the Seville Olympic Stadium. The match, which witnessed great excitement, ended in a 2-2 draw.
The match started quickly. Spain took the lead 1-0 with Dani Olmo’s shot in the 4th minute. Our National Team, which put character into the game, found the goal it was looking for in the 42nd minute. Young star Deniz Gül brought the score to 1-1 with the goal he scored.
Starting the second half effectively, Türkiye made it 2-1 in the 54th minute with a hard shot from outside the penalty area by Salih Özcan. Taking the lead with this goal, the Star and Crescent team showed a confident appearance on the field. However, Spain equalized with Mikel Oyarzabal’s goal in the 62nd minute: 2-2.
The score did not change in the remaining part. With this result, Spain lost its first point in the group, but got its ticket to the World Cup with 16 points. Our National Team, which guaranteed the play-offs against Bulgaria, completed the group with 13 points with this one point from Sevilla.
The draw to determine the national team’s opponent in the play-offs will be held in Zurich on Thursday, November 20, at 15.00 GMT.
MINUTES FROM THE FIRST HALF
In the 4th minute, Olmo received the ball in front of the goal after Cucurella’s cross from the left wing, controlled it and shot it into the net. 1-0
In the 30th minute, Olmo caught the ball on the right side of the penalty arc after Pino’s pass, and goalkeeper Altay Bayındır deflected the ball into the corner.
In the 34th minute, Deniz Gül received the ball in the penalty arc after Çağlar Söyüncü’s pass from the right wing. Deniz’s pass was hit by Orkun Kökçü from outside the penalty area, and the ball fell to goalkeeper Unai Simon.
In the 42nd minute, Orkun Kökçü’s corner kick from the right side was taken by Barış Alper Yılmaz in the penalty area, and Deniz Gül sent the ball into the net with a single shot. 1-1
In the 45th minute, Olmo’s pass was passed by Fabian Ruiz, who was hanging behind the defense from the left side, and goalkeeper Altay Bayındır saved the ball.
MINUTES FROM THE SECOND HALF
In the 50th minute, İrfan Can Kahveci, who entered the penalty area from the right side after Orkun Kökçü’s through pass, hit the goalkeeper Unai Simon.
In the 53rd minute, Orkun Kökçü’s free kick from the right side caught the ball bouncing in the penalty area, but Barış Alper Yılmaz’s overhead kick from the left side, and goalkeeper Unai Simon deflected the ball into the corner at the last moment.
In the 54th minute, Ferdi Kadıoğlu’s cross from the left side was sent down by Orkun Kökçü, and Salih Özcan shot the ball into the net from the penalty arc. 1-2
In the 62nd minute, Çağlar backhanded the ball into the penalty area by Cucurella on the left wing. Pino found the ball in front of the goal and Merih took it off the line. Oyarzabal sent the ball that hit Çağlar into the empty goal. 2-2
In the 67th minute, Barış Alper Yılmaz, who took action on İrfan Can Kahveci’s pass, made a hard shot without entering the penalty area, and goalkeeper Simon deflected the ball to the corner.
In the 83rd minute, in the attack from the left, Orkun centered the ball towards the penalty spot. While the ball that Barış could not touch was opened for penalty, Atakan’s shot went out from the top of the ball.
90+2. In the attack developed by passing in Spain in the minute, Baena’s hard shot from in front of the penalty arc, goalkeeper Altay deflected the ball for the corner.