Ex-Sporting star shines as La Roja held in Spain v Turkey clash | OneFootball

Merih Demiral was one of the standout figures in the Spain - Turkey match, a qualifying game for the 2026 World Cup. The two teams drew 2-2 in the last game of group E, between the two nations that had already secured the top two spots.

Starting with the presence of two former Sporting players on the match sheet. Starting for the Turkish national team was Merih Demiral, a central defender who trained at the Alvalade Club. Pedro Porro began the match on Spain's bench but ended up not being brought on, after starting in the previous game.

Regarding the match, it started better for the Spanish team, who were playing at home, and took the lead in the 4th minute, through Dani Olmo. Towards the end of the first half, Turkey equalized with a goal from Deniz Gul, a Porto player.

In the second half, the course of events reversed, with the same final outcome. This time, it was Turkey who scored first, through Ozcan, in the 54th minute, with a goal that, at the time, confirmed the comeback. However, Spain responded shortly after, through Oyarzabal, to level the score at two, a result that remained until the end of the match.

The draw ended up serving both teams, who already had their places practically secured before the match. Spain thus finishes the qualification for the 2026 World Cup in first place in group E, with 16 points, securing direct qualification for the World Cup. Turkey secures second place, with 13 points, and will have to play a playoff to try to secure a spot in the international competition.

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