Turkey moved one step closer to ending their lengthy World Cup absence with a 1-0 victory over Romania in their playoff semi-final on Thursday at Besiktas Park. The decisive moment came in the 53rd minute when Real Madrid midfielder Arda Guler delivered a brilliant, defense-splitting pass to Ferdi Kadioglu, who calmly controlled the ball and finished to give the hosts the lead.
This tightly contested match featured two teams eager to return to the World Cup stage after long gaps, with Turkey last qualifying in 2002 and Romania in 1998. Notably, the goal was the result of a pre-planned move discussed during halftime, as Guler explained that he would receive the ball while Kadioglu made a run into the penalty area, executing the strategy perfectly.
Following the breakthrough, Turkey grew more confident and nearly doubled their lead when Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz cut in from the left and struck the crossbar with a curling shot. Romania, who had maintained a cautious approach in the first half, increased their attacking efforts in search of an equalizer but were unable to penetrate Turkey’s solid defense.
With this victory, Turkey advances to the playoff final scheduled for March 31, where they will face either Slovakia or Kosovo for a coveted spot in the 2026 World Cup.
