FIFA World Cup: Portugal Survive Late Drama To Beat Turkey And Stay On Track

Portugal are through to a decisive Environment Cup qualifying play-off ultimate following week soon after beating Turkey 3-1 in Porto on Thursday, but only soon after Burak Yilmaz missed a vital late penalty for the people. The home aspect have been cruising at the Estadio do Dragao many thanks to initial-fifty percent goals by Brazilian-born midfielder Otavio and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota. But Turkey’s veteran skipper Yilmaz pulled a intention back in the 65th minute, placing up a tense end. Turkey were then awarded a late penalty when a foul on Enes Unal was detected by the German referee subsequent a VAR critique, but Yilmaz place the place-kick about the bar and Matheus Nunes secured Portugal’s victory in stoppage time.

The 36-year-old Yilmaz may possibly now by no means get the likelihood to enjoy at a Environment Cup as Turkey’s wait around to return to the finals goes on.

They have not appeared at the Globe Cup considering the fact that coming third in Japan and South Korea in 2002.

Portugal have not skipped out on the match considering the fact that 1998 and they will now hope to secure a spot in Qatar when they host North Macedonia in a participate in-off decider future Tuesday.

At 37, Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream of Earth Cup glory remains alive and number of sides in intercontinental soccer can match the attacking menace of Fernando Santos’s group.

In this article Santos still left Joao Felix on the bench and handed a surprise start off to Otavio, the Brazilian-born Porto winger.

The 2016 European champions started off strongly and went ahead on the quarter-hour mark as a Bernardo Silva shot strike the article and Otavio, profitable just his third cap, netted the comply with-up.

The second target arrived three minutes ahead of the interval at the stop of a flowing go, as Otavio clipped a cross from the edge of the box for Jota to head in at the back again put up.

Portugal have been cruising but then Turkey pulled one particular back in the 65th minute as Cengiz Less than slipped a pass in for Lille forward Yilmaz to score.

The property facet, lacking their very first-alternative centre-back pairing of Pepe and Ruben Dias because of to Covid-19 and harm respectively, commenced to seem shaky and Turkey took gain.

Jose Fonte’s speak to with Unal in the box was originally missed by referee Daniel Siebert but he awarded a penalty just after examining the visuals, inspite of the Turkey player plainly exaggerating the effects of the obstacle.

Promoted

Yilmaz could have forced additional time but his 85th-minute kick grazed the bar and flew more than, to the aid of the dwelling crowd.

Substitute Nunes, also born in Brazil, designed it 3-1 in the fourth minute of stoppage time, in which all-time top global target-scorer Ronaldo also strike the bar as Portugal progress.