Seville (EFE).- The Spanish national team sealed this Tuesday at the La Cartuja Stadium in Seville its mathematical classification for the 2026 World Cup of the United States, Canada and Mexico with a bittersweet draw against Turkey (2-2), which prevents its full of victories in group E of this phase, although it extends to 31 its streak of official matches in a row without losing.
Spain dominated authoritatively in a great first half and took the lead at 4 minutes through Dani Olmo, although Turkey, who needed to win by 7 goals difference, tied in the 42nd with a goal in a set piece action by Gül and showed pride in the second half for Ozcan to come back with the 1-2 in the 54th, but Mikel Oyarzabal recomposed the situation six minutes later to make it 2-2 in a discreet second half of the Spanish team.
La Roja, after thrashing Georgia on Saturday (0-4), virtually had a place in the World Cup in their pocket, as Turkey – which goes to the repechage – could only snatch it by winning by 7 or more goals. An impossible miracle, even more so with the excellent performance of Luis de la Fuente’s team in this qualifying phase (5 wins and this draw, 21 goals for and only 2 against).
Thirst for triumph
The Spanish coach, who had already warned beforehand that his players are hungry for victory, made four changes to the starting eleven compared to the one in Tbilisi, with Marcos Llorente at right-back, Aleix García in midfield – alongside Fabián Ruiz and Mikel Merino – and Yeremy Pino and Dani Olmo joining Mikel Oyarzabal in the attacking trident.
El delantero de España Mikel Oyarzabal (d), tras conseguir el segundo gol del combinado español. EFE / José Manuel Vidal.
They relieved the ‘touched’ Pedro Porro, one of the discards with Jorge de Frutos; Zubimendi; Ferran Torres; and Álex Baena in a team that once again showed that, whoever plays, maintains its style, its top-notch football, without suffering. In Turkey, the Italian Vincenzo Montella revolutionized his eleven with up to eight changes, perhaps already thinking about the repechage.
Control of Spain
The match began with rhythm and with absolute control by the Spanish national team, which dominated the midfield under the baton of three Spanish ’emigrants’ of supreme quality: the Navarrese Merino (Arsenal), the Catalan Aleix (Leverkusen) and the Sevillian Fabián (PSG). Soon, moreover, their offensive football and search for spaces paid off.
At four minutes, after a semi-failed shot by Fabián following a cross from Cucurella in the first real attack, Barcelona’s Olmo, very astute, controlled in the area and scored 1-0, his twelfth goal as an international.
The match was a monologue by Spain, with their lines very advanced and generating one opportunity after another against a Turkey that changed its system from a 4-2-31 to a 5-4-1, to stop the onslaughts of a Spanish team on a roll and in form, and that, more defensive than other times, only sought, drop by drop, some counterattack or a play on a set piece.
Spain moved the ball, dominated with authority and was close to increasing their lead, but lacked accuracy in a series of goal opportunities, such as those by Aleix García, with a shot from the edge of the area; or Oyarzabal in a double chance, first in a shot in foreshortening from a cross by a very active Llorente, and then after a through pass from Laporte.
After half an hour, Dani Olmo tried again in two good consecutive opportunities, but goalkeeper Altay Bayindir prevented it with two providential clearances. De la Fuente’s team forgave and paid dearly 3 minutes before the break, when Deniz Gül, after a corner kick and after Yilmaz touched the ball, hammered a loose ball into the local area.
Second part
In the restart, with 1-1, Turkey, who arrived in Seville with notable absences such as their top player and captain, Hakan Calhanoglu, due to injury or midfielder Ismail Yüksek, due to suspension, came out with a lot of energy, much less backed up in their area than in the first half, and soon put La Roja in trouble with a shot from Kahveci that Unai stopped.
Then, a Chilean shot from Galatasaray’s Yilmaz, which the Basque goalkeeper sent to corner, was the prelude to the great reaction of a Turkish team now much braver and that managed to turn the score around with Salih Ozcan’s 1-2 at 9 minutes, with a shot from the front after Kökçü lowered the ball with his chest. Even so, Spain reacted quickly.
De la Fuente’s players didn’t crumble, equalizing eight minutes later, in the 62nd minute, with Oyarzabal’s sixth goal in this qualifying phase, taking advantage of several rebounds in the area and finishing point-blank after Merih Demiral cleared the ball off the goal line from Yeremy’s shot.
From then on, both teams, each with their weapons, tried to break the tie again, without success. With a more incisive Turkey, Yilmaz grazed the goal with a shot that Unai saved, while Spain accumulated several chances in the final stretch, from Samu, Baena or Fornals, and even a goal by Fermín was disallowed for a clear offside. In the end, a 2-2 that broke the Spanish winning streak, but certified their pass as group leader to the 2026 World Cup.
Technical Sheet
2 – Spain: Unai Simón; Marcos Llorente, Laporte, Cubarsí, Cucurella; Mikel Merino (Ferran Torres, m.46), Aleix García, Fabián (Fornals, m.83); Yeremi Pino (Álex Baena, 63), Oyarzabal (Samu, m.63), Dani Olmo (Fermín, m.73).
2 – Turkey: Altay Bayindir; Çelik, Demiral (Yusuf Akçiçek, m.83), Akaydin, Söyünku, Kadioglu (Eskihellaç, m.78); Kahveci (Sari, m.69), Köksü, Salih Ozcan (Karazor, m.78), Yilmaz; Deniz Gül (Müldür, m.69).
Goals: 1-0, M.4: Olmo. 1-1, M.42: Gül. 1-2, M.54: Ozcan. 2-2, M.62: Oyarzabal.
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany). He cautioned the home player Baena (m.68) and the visitors Gül (m.12), Ozcan (m.76), Demiral (m.80) and Eskihellaç (m.89).
