• Latest
  • Trending
  • All

Turkey seeking new legends to revive past glories

March 29, 2021
Ahmed Musa to join Kano Pillars – reports

Ahmed Musa to join Kano Pillars – reports

April 12, 2021
Enyimba press conference: Osho on Omoyele red card, Anayo and Rivers United

CAF CC: Press conference: Es Setif vs Enyimba, Fatai Osho wary of Setif

April 11, 2021

Oladapo gives final verdict on Es Setif vs Enyimba CAF confederation cup clash

April 11, 2021
NNL: Gateway vs Bendel insurance, Abeokuta based win 2-0

NNL: Gateway vs Bendel insurance, Abeokuta based win 2-0

April 11, 2021
Obot: I didn’t remember am red carded

Match preview: Es Setif vs Enyimba

April 11, 2021
Match preview: Ekiti United vs Shooting Stars, 3sc wants to strengthen their lead

Match preview: Ekiti United vs Shooting Stars, 3sc wants to strengthen their lead

April 10, 2021
Vandrezzer partner with Mainz 05 for Digital Talent Day

Vandrezzer partner with Mainz 05 for Digital Talent Day

April 10, 2021
Pique set to play in El Classico, without pain

Pique set to play in El Classico, without pain

April 10, 2021

Victory Over Vandrezzer Has Vindicated Us -3SC Boss Rasheed Balogun

April 8, 2021

Ogunmodede Feels Comfortable after Victory against Ibom Youth

April 8, 2021

Remo Stars humble Ibom Youth to strengthen it’s leed

April 8, 2021

Usain Bolt picks Ronaldo over Messi, as the best footballer

April 7, 2021
  • About Us
  • Terms
  • DMCA
  • Cookies Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Write for us
  • Privacy Policy
Soccerhub
  • Live Soccer Scores
  • Transfer Center
  • euro league
    • EPL
    • LALIGA
    • Seria A
  • 9JAFOOTBALL
    • NPFL
      • NPFL Fixtures
  • FIFA
No Result
View All Result
  • Live Soccer Scores
  • Transfer Center
  • euro league
    • EPL
    • LALIGA
    • Seria A
  • 9JAFOOTBALL
    • NPFL
      • NPFL Fixtures
  • FIFA
No Result
View All Result
Soccerhub
No Result
View All Result
Home FIFA

Turkey seeking new legends to revive past glories

by
2 weeks ago
in FIFA, Trending
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0 0
A A
0
0
SHARES
26
VIEWS

Ozan Tufan of Turkey celebrates with teammates after scoring 

  • Turkey enjoy best ever start to World Cup qualifiers
  • Sights set on return to biggest stage after 20 years
  • We look at some key takeaways from their opening victories

The big question in Turkish football this week: is their national team set to return to the world stage after a 20-year absence? The early signs are certainly promising after the Crescent Stars kicked off their qualifying campaign for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ with two wins from two to lead the way in a fiercely competitive Group G.­­

Pitted against three-time World Cup runners-up the Netherlands in their opening game at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey threw down the gauntlet with a 4-2 win over a strong Oranje team.

Three days later, Senol Gunes’ side underlined their Qatar 2022 credentials with a resounding 3-0 win away to Norway, another of the group’s fancied sides. That victory was especially significant as Turkey had never before won their opening two games in a World Cup qualifying campaign.

RelatedPosts

FIFA banned Chad and Pakistan from international matches

April 7, 2021
Lewandowski to miss PSG double header

Lewandowski to miss PSG double header

March 30, 2021

Ahead of the team’s third fixture at home to Latvia tomorrow (Tuesday 30 March), hopes of a third World Cup appearance – and first in 20 years – are understandably high among the nation’s famously passionate football fans.

ADVERTISEMENT

At Korea/Japan 2002, with star turns from the likes of Hasan Sas, Hakan Sukur and Ilhan Mansiz, Turkey stunned everyone by reaching the semi-finals, where they lost to the eventual winners Brazil. In the end, they took home the bronze medal with victory in the third-place game over co-hosts Korea Republic, memorable also for Sukur scoring the fastest goal in World Cup history after 11 seconds.

Gunes, who was also in charge of the team back in 2002, is now trying to shape a new generation of heroes with a mix of home-based and overseas talent. Ahead of the Norway game, his captain Burak Yilmaz showed how confident the team were when asked if they feared Erling Haaland: “We have great defenders and so fear no one. We’ve never been afraid of anyone.”

Key factors

Solidity: In their opening two games, the Turkish rearguard had to contain the offensive threat of players like Memphis Depay and Erling Haaland, two of the finest forwards in world football at present. However, with English Premier League players Ozan Kabak of Liverpool and Caglar Soyuncu of Leicester City alongside Kaan Ayhan of US Sassuolo, the Crescent Stars were able to hold their defensive line.

Ruthlessness: With seven goals in two games from just eight shots on target, Turkey have been ruthlessly effective up front. Gunes has plenty of top international players at his disposal, among them AC Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu: “Turkish players are highly skilled but of course we can still improve in terms of our play and tactics,” said the coach. “However, it says a lot that only two players – Ozan Tufan and Ugurcan Cakir – from our starting line-up play in the Turkish league.”

Star quality: “I desperately want us to qualify for the World Cup,” captain Yilmaz said of their quest. The skipper clearly believes in leading by example after grabbing three of his side’s four goals against the Dutch. Then against Norway, it was the turn of Tufan to weigh in with two strikes of his own, reminding everyone that Turkey have numerous players who can win games with individual brilliance.

Turkey could not have wished for a better start on the road to Qatar 2022 and have laid the foundations for a return to football’s flagship event. If Yilmaz can continue to inspire and lead as he has been doing, then he and team-mates like Hakan Calhanoglu, Caglar Soyuncu and Tufan stand every chance of following in the footsteps of the heroes of 2002 and earning legendary status themselves.

ShareTweetShareShare

Subscribe to the latest post

Unsubscribe

Related Posts

Africa Football

FIFA banned Chad and Pakistan from international matches

by Awonusi Abiodun
April 7, 2021
0

The football governing body FIFA has raised it's hammer on two Nations Chad and Pakistan breach of the body rule....

Read more
Lewandowski to miss PSG double header

Lewandowski to miss PSG double header

March 30, 2021

Modric: I want another major success with Croatia

March 30, 2021

Follow Tuesday's qualifiers live

March 30, 2021

Iniesta-inspired Furuhashi harbours high hopes with Japan

March 29, 2021
Soccerhub

Copyright © 2021 Soccerhub NG

Navigate Site

  • Recommendations
  • Cookies Policy
  • Write for us
  • DMCA
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Live Soccer Scores
  • Transfer Center
  • euro league
    • EPL
    • LALIGA
    • Seria A
  • 9JAFOOTBALL
    • NPFL
      • NPFL Fixtures
  • FIFA

Copyright © 2021 Soccerhub NG

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
-
00:00
00:00

Queue

Update Required Flash plugin
-
00:00
00:00