Kokçu and Akturkoglu humbled as Turkey fall to Spain | OneFootball

Turkey was humiliated at home by Spain (6-0). With Orkun Kokçu on the bench and Kerem Akturkoglu in the starting lineup - both having played for Benfica - the team led by Vincenzo Montella suffered a heavy defeat in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

The scoring was opened just 6' in by Pedri, setting the tone for the match. Mikel Merino (22') doubled the lead and scored again in the first half (45+1'). In the second half, Ferrán made it 4-0 (53') and at 57' Mikel Merino, with a beautiful shot, completed his hat-trick. Pedri would also score for the second time, at 62', closing the accounts.

With the result, Turkey records its first defeat in this qualifying stage for the World Cup. The former Benfica players and company have three points in Group E and occupy third place. Spain (six), Georgia (three), and Bulgaria (zero) round out the standings.

Meanwhile, Kokçu – valued at 30 million euros – has appeared in 98 matches. The midfielder managed to score 19 goals and 22 assists for Benfica, contributing to the team's victories.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.