Our National Football Team hosted Romania in the play-off semi-finals of the FIFA 2026 World Cup European Qualifications. In the critical match played over a single match, Bizim Çocuk was the winner with a score of 1-0. Ferdi Kadıoğlu scored our national team’s goal at minute 53 with a shock assist from Arda Güler. The final opponent of the National Team, which left Tüpraş Stadium with a victory, will be the country that wins the match between Slovakia and Kosovo.
OUR COMPETITORS IF WE PARTICIPATE IN THE WORLD CUP
If Türkiye wins the final match, it will face Paraguay, USA and Australia in the World Cup groups.
MINUTES FROM THE MATCH
(First half)
In the 17th minute, Hakan Çalhanoğlu took the free kick from behind the penalty area and his shot went out over the goalpost.
In the 19th minute, Abdülkerim’s long-range shot hit the defense and was caught by goalkeeper Radu.
In the 32nd minute, Kenan advanced to the penalty area with the ball he won from the opponent on the left side and passed the pass to Arda in front of the penalty arc. Arda’s shot went over the wooden round post and went out.
(Second half)
In the 53rd minute, Arda received the ball on the right side and passed his long pass to Ferdi, who was running to the penalty area. Controlling the ball in front of the goal, Ferdi’s shot hit the round leather net. 1-0
In the 56th minute, Mihaila, who rose to the back post after a cross from the right side, headed the pass in front of the goal, but Abdülkerim cleared the ball before Birligea. In the continuation of the position, Hagi shot the ball away from Abdülkerim on the left diagonal of the penalty area, and the ball went out near the post.
In the 59th minute, Ferdi’s shot from distance bounced off the defense and fell in front of Hakan on the left diagonal of the penalty area. Hakan’s shot at the near post went wide.
In the 61st minute, Kenan Yıldız received the ball from Ferdi’s pass, and his shot from the left diagonal of the penalty area hit the round leather crossbar and left the field of play.
In the 72nd minute, Arda’s hard shot from the left diagonal of the penalty area after a hand-to-hand pass with Kenan was blocked by goalkeeper Radu for the corner at the last minute.
In the 77th minute, Mihaila found the ball in front of her that the defense could not clear in the corner taken from the right side to the front post, and her shot from the right diagonal to the far post returned to the field of play from the round leather post.
2 MISSING IN THE NATIONAL TEAM
Merih Demiral and Zeki Çelik, who were called to the candidate squad for the play-off matches of the National Team, left their teams alone due to their injuries. In addition to these names, Muhammed Şengezer, Ahmetcan Kaplan, Mustafa Eskihellaç and Semih Kılıçsoy were not included in the match squad by the decision of the technical team.
MINISTER BAK AT TÜPRAŞ STADIUM
Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak followed the Türkiye-Romania match at Tüpraş Stadium. Minister Bak watched the match together with Turkish Football Federation President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu.
CHOREOGRAPHY WAS MADE IN THE EASTERN STAND
Before the match where A Nationals hosted Romania, choreography was performed in the East Tribune. The joy experienced by İlhan Mansız and the national football players during the match in which we defeated Sengal in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, in which Türkiye participated in 2002, was featured. In addition to this choreography, there were visuals of football players appearing in EURO 2024, especially Arda Güler, Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Mert Müldür. Additionally, the choreography was completed with the text ‘Same spirit, same atmosphere’.
FLAG WAS DISTRIBUTED TO THE TRANSLATIONS
Before the match, the Turkish flag was left on the seats at Tüpraş Stadium by the Turkish Football Federation. The fans, who took their place in the stands to support the National Football Team, accompanied the anthems by waving flags before the match. The janissary band, which came to Tüpraş Stadium for the match against Romania, excited the fans with the anthems they played before the match.
NATIONAL MATCH EXCITEMENT AT TÜPRAŞ STADIUM AFTER 4.5 YEARS
National match excitement was experienced after 4.5 years at Tüpraş Stadium, which hosts Beşiktaş’s matches. The National Football Team, which last played in this stadium against Montenegro on September 1, 2021, left the match with a score of 2-2.
8 CHANGES FROM MONTELLA
National Team Coach Vincenzo Montella made 8 changes to the 11 of the 2-2 away draw against Spain in the World Cup European Qualification Group E and led his team to the field in the match against Romania. The Italian coach gave a chance to players who had less chance to play away in Spain; Altay appointed Uğurcan Çakır, Mert Müldür, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, İsmail Yüksek, Arda Güler, Kenan Yıldız and Kerem Aktürkoğlu in the starting 11 instead of Zeki Çelik, Merih Demiral, Çağlar Söyüncü, Salih Özcan, Orkun Kökçü, İrfan Can Kahveci and Deniz Gül.
Montella, who entrusted the gloves to Uğurcan Çakır in the goal, formed the defensive quartet; It was composed of Mert Müldür, Samet Akaydın, Abdülkerim Bardakcı and Ferdi Kadıoğlu. The Italian coach put Hakan Çalhanoğlu and İsmail Yüksek on the field in the midfield; He appointed Barış Alper Yılmaz, number 10 Arda Güler, and Kenan Yıldız on the left wing, on the right of the offensive line. Montella’s choice in scoring goals was Kerem Aktürkoğlu.
