Our National Football Team defeated Venezuela 2-1 in the last preparation match before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after falling behind 1-0. The goals that brought victory to the Crescent-Stars team were scored by Barış Alper Yılmaz in the 44th minute and Yunus Akgün in the 54th minute. Venezuela’s only goal came from Gleiker Mendoza in the 13th minute.
In its next match, our National Football Team will face Australia in the first match of Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
ZEKİ ÇELİK IS ON THE FIELD AS CAPTAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME
Zeki Çelik was the captain of the National Football Team in the match against Venezuela. Zeki wore the captain’s arm band for the first time in the star and crescent team.
Hakan Çalhanoğlu, the captain of the national team, started the match on the bench.
ÇAĞLAR SÖYÜNCÜ MEETS HIS OLD COACH
National player Çağlar Söyüncü met coach Oscar Ortega, a member of the Venezuelan technical team, with whom he worked while playing for Atletico Madrid, at the Inter Miami Stadium and chatted for a while.
The Uruguayan coach worked at Atletico Madrid with Diego Simeone between 2011 and 2024.
TURKISH FANS SHOWED GREAT INTEREST IN THE MATCH
Turkish fans took their place in the stands during the match played in Miami.
Many fans wearing Turkish national team jerseys were in the stands and supported the star-and-star team with their chants.
7 CHANGES FROM MONTELLA
National Team Coach Vincenzo Montella took his team to the field by making 7 changes to the 11 of the friendly match against North Macedonia. Italian coach; In place of Altay Bayındır, Mert Müldür, Çağlar Söyüncü, Salih Özcan, Oğuz Aydın, Yunus Akgün and Can Uzun; He appointed Uğurcan Çakır, Zeki Çelik, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, İsmail Yüksek, İrfan Can Kahveci, Arda Güler and Barış Alper Yılmaz in the starting 11.
KEREM AKTÜRKOĞLU WEARED A JERSEY
Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who was injured during a training session of the National Football Team at Riva Hasan Doğan Camp and Training Facilities, played in the second half of the Venezuela match. The 27-year-old attacker, who was away from the team for a while after his injury and then gradually joined the team through training, replaced Deniz Gül in the 62nd minute of the Venezuela match.
MINUTES FROM THE MATCH
Venezuela took the lead in the 13th minute. Receiving the ball from the left wing, Mendoza approached the penalty area, corrected his angle and shot hard from outside the penalty area, sending the ball into the net: 1-0.
The national team equalized in the 44th minute. Arda Güler took charge of the corner won from the right wing. The defense blocked the ball that Arda sent directly to the goal at the last minute, and Barış Alper Yılmaz sent the loose ball into the net: 1-1.
The first half of the match ended 1-1.
The national team took the lead in the 54th minute. Controlling Arda Güler’s pass, Yunus sent the ball bouncing in front of him outside the penalty area into the net with a very good shot: 1-2.
There was no other goal in the remaining minutes and the national team won the match 2-1.
The National Football Team beat North Macedonia 4-0 in Istanbul in its first preparation match before the World Cup.
Having completed their preparations in Miami with this match, the star-and-crescent team will fly to the town of Mesa, Arizona, which is the main camp center for the World Cup, by private plane.
HERE IS THE SUMMARY OF THE MATCH