Match report
Spain secured official qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by drawing 2-2 with Turkey at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville, during European qualifying for Group 5. Dani Olmo gave Spain the lead after four minutes with a sharp finish in the six-yard box, and Mikel Oyarzabal doubled the advantage in the 62nd minute. Turkey answered through Deniz Gul in the 42nd minute and Salih Ozkan in the 54th, turning the contest on its head before the interval.
With the draw, Spain moved to 16 points at the top of the group, guaranteeing their spot at the World Cup, while Turkey rose to 13 points in second and earned a playoff berth. Spain dominated early ball control and attacking transition, while Turkey grew into the game after the break and pressed for a second goal as the clock wound down. A late finish by Fermin Lopez was ruled offside, leaving the scoreline unchanged.
In the closing stages, Spain continued to push for a winner, but the Turkish resistance and a compact defensive shape kept the score at 2-2 as the final whistle approached.
Lineups and tactical notes
Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente fielded a rotated XI, with Unai Simon in goal and a flexible backline designed to balance solidity with width. The attack featured Dani Olmo, Mikel Oyarzabal and Yeremi Pino in behind the central striker, while Alex Garcia, Fabian Ruiz and a deeper-lying influence in midfield controlled the tempo. On the other side, Vincenzo Montella opted for a heavily refreshed lineup, starting Altay Bayındır in goal and deploying a reshuffled defense (Çelik, Demiral, Soyuncu, Kadioglu) with a midfield trio of Orkun Kokcu, Oguzhan Ozcan, and tenacious wingers supporting a front line of Deniz Gul, Yilmaz, and Akaydin. Montella’s tactical gamble aimed to conserve energy for the upcoming playoff push and to test squad depth ahead of decisive ties.
The match illustrated Spain’s continued command of possession and pace, while Turkey’s late pressure underscored their potential to trouble any top side on their day. The official top of Group 5 now belongs to Spain, with Turkey heading into the playoff route.
Official team details
Formation notes and substitutions were used to manage minutes for a number of players ahead of the playoff phase, with Spain prioritizing control and intensity, and Turkey choosing a more experimental lineup to assess options for the critical fixtures ahead.
Punchlines
Spain punched their World Cup ticket with surgical precision; if football were a sniping contest, they’d hit the target before the whistle even blew. And for Turkey, eight changes in one game isn’t a lineup, it’s a calendar—great for practice, terrible for an actual plan when the clock is ticking.
