With a 3-1 win over Turkey, Portugal has successfully marched into the final of the World Cup qualifying play-offs. In a do-or-die match, Portugal's cohesive team play allowed them to defeat the former Euro 2020 dark horses, keeping their hopes of competing in Qatar later this year very much alive.
The victory was sealed by goals from Otavio Silva Monteiro, Diogo Jota, and Matheus Nunes. The home team dictated the pace from the start, playing a confident attacking game. Despite a temporary interruption due to a head injury sustained by Turkey's right-back, Celik, Portugal maintained their grip on the match with impressive ball retention and accuracy.
The deadlock was broken in the 15th minute when attacking midfielder Otavio found the net. It started with Otavio creating an opening for Bernardo Silva, whose shot struck the post, but Otavio was there to smash in the rebound for a 1-0 lead. Turkey didn't go down without a fight, and a mistake by Diogo in his own territory gave them a glimpse of hope, but Burak Yilmaz could not find the target with his effort.
Maintaining their pressure and possession, Portugal continued to threaten the goal, leading to a second score just before the interval. Once again, Otavio was the architect, delivering a perfect curving cross that Diogo Jota headed past goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir.
Turkey came out swinging in the second half, and Burak Yilmaz managed to narrow the gap. After receiving a pass from Cengiz, Yilmaz finished with precision to bring Turkey back into the game. They had a golden opportunity to equalize in the 83rd minute when VAR awarded a penalty following Jose Fonte's foul on Enes Unal. However, Yilmaz sent his shot over the bar, despite being Turkey's most dangerous player throughout the match.
The game was finally put to bed when substitute Matheus Nunes scored a clever third goal, outsmarting keeper Cakir. Despite Turkey's persistence, they couldn't stop the Portuguese momentum. Portugal now moves on to face North Macedonia in Tuesday's final.
In a stunning turn of events, North Macedonia knocked Italy out of contention with a lone goal scored deep in stoppage time. This heartbreaking loss means the reigning Euro 2020 champions will miss the World Cup for the second time in a row. Italy struggled to break through Macedonia's resolute defense, ultimately suffering their first home defeat in 60 World Cup qualifying matches.