Turkey flying high in bid for World Cup berth

Ozan Tufan scored two superb goals and Çağlar Söyüncü added another in a comfortable 3-0 win over Norway 3-0 in a World Cup qaulfiying Group G game on March 27 as Turkey maintained its perfect record in the campaign.

Playing their home game in Malaga due to coronavirus restrictions in Oslo, the Norwegians quickly fell behind as Lille's Yusuf Yazıcı sliced their defense open down the left and put in a low cross for the late-arriving Tufan of Fenerbahçe to rifle home in the fourth minute.

Alexander Sörloth could have put his side level in the 26th minute, but his powerful shot cannoned back off the post and it proved to be a costly miss when Leicester City's Söyüncü was left unmarked to head home Yazıcı's corner two minutes later.

Sörloth and Erling Haaland went close from an early second-half corner but their night was effectively ended when Tufan netted Turkey's third with a glorious curling shot that flew in at the far post to make it 3-0 just before the hour mark.

Söyüncü also enjoyed a fine performance of helping keep Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland quiet.

"Last year we've qualified for Euro 2020 and now we're fighting for a spot in the World Cup," Söyüncü told uefa.com. "We want to be there."

The convincing victory came three days after Turkey bat the Netherlands 4-2 at home, with its third group game scheduled against Latvia tomorrow.

"We did everything right and we won, I'm proud," Turkey coach Şenol Güneş said after the game.

"[The players] played attentive, smart, disciplined, heartfelt, patient, appropriate and on time and it paid off."
Yazıcı said the players were committed.

"As a team, we love to spend time together," he said. "We are always delighted to make runs to cover and help...