Portugal are through to the play-off final for a ticket to the World Cup in Qatar after an all-round deserved 3-1 win over Turkey, who made the game highly dramatic at the end.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos had to do without both centre-backs Pepe (Corona infection) and Ruben Dias (injury). In attack, Diogo Jota and somewhat surprisingly also – the local hero at the Estadio do Dragao – Otavio from FC Porto played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Porto keeper Diogo Costa, only 22, was also used in goal instead of veteran Rui Patricio (bench).
Turkey coach Stefan Kuntz relied on a five-man defence with former Bundesliga players Kabak (ex-Stuttgart and Schalke) and Söyüncü (ex-Freiburg), as well as Bergamo’s Demiral at centre-back in the defensive centre.
Otavio on the follow-up shot, then with feeling
Portugal took the initiative at the start and had plenty of possession while the Turks lurked on the counter-attack. After Diogo Jota had somehow finished over the goal from very close range following a free-kick cross (11th), the Iberians took an early lead a little later: After a successful move, Bernardo Silva finished on the edge of the penalty area. His shot bounced off the inside of the post and into the hands of Otavio, who dusted it off from an acute angle to make it 1-0 (15th);
After conceding the goal, the Turks suddenly became more offensive and created their own chances. Kutlu headed from close range onto the outside of the net (21.), Diogo Costa deflected a shot by Kökcü past the post (27.). Until the break, the game was open and went back and forth. But Portugal remained more effective and went 2-0 up in the 42nd minute after a successful move: this time Otavio provided the cross and Liverpool’s Diogo Jota accurately headed home for a two-goal lead.
Burak Yilmaz scores – and then misses decisively
After the change of ends, the Portuguese were initially very much in control of the action. Santos’ team ran the ball well, Turkey hardly had any offensive actions. But the third goal was missing: Bruno Fernandes forced Cakir to make a save (48th), Diogo Jota missed the empty Turkish goal against the rash keeper who had rushed out of his penalty area in the 56th minute because he finished too hastily. And so, out of nowhere, it became exciting once again! After a double pass with Cengiz Ünder, Burak Yilmaz scored the equaliser midway through the second half (65th).
Now the Turks were on top for a short time, again Yilmaz missed from an acute angle (69.). After Otavio had missed another good chance for Portugal (75th), Yilmaz even had a great chance to make it 2:2 from the penalty spot in the 85th minute – the German referee team Daniel Siebert and VAR Marco Fritz had given the penalty decision after a video review of a foul by José Fonte on Enes Ünal. But the 36-year-old attacker missed the opportunity and only hit the top of the crossbar.
And so the Portuguese made everything clear with the 3:1 through Joker Matheus Nunes in injury time (90.+4). Cristiano Ronaldo also hit the aluminium seconds before the final whistle (90.+6).
Portugal will now face North Macedonia in the play-off final on 29 March (20.45), who had prevailed over European champions Italy in their semi-final. Only the winner of this match will get one of the last World Cup tickets.
