Portugal beat Turkey to qualify for World Cup play-off final

The match: 3-1 The match could have changed in the 86th minute when Burak Yilmaz presented himself against Diogo Costa (22), the young Portugal goalkeeper, with a penalty and the ball 2-2 at the end of the foot. But the Turkey striker saw his attempt end on the crossbar. In the minutes that followed, the Portuguese sealed the fate of the meeting with Matheus Nunes (90th + 4, 3-1). And the score could have been heavier since Cristiano Ronaldo then found the crossbar (90th + 5). Opposed Thursday evening, in Porto, to Turkey in the semi-finals of the play-offs for the 2022 World Cup, Portugal fulfilled the first part of the contract by winning at the end of a match not completely mastered. At the break, the players of Fernando Santos logically led thanks to goals from Otavio (15th) and Diogo Jota (42nd). The Portuguese had taken the game by the right end, despite an air pocket after the opener. While they seemed to manage the meeting, CR7’s teammates were surprised by Yilmaz who, after a nice one-two with Cengiz Ünder, deceived Diogo Costa with a precise shot from the left (2-1, 65th). Turkey pushed, obtained a penalty validated by the VAR after a foul by Fonte – already beaten by Yilmaz on the first Turkish goal – on Enes Ünal (82nd). The Lille striker therefore put the ball on the bar, opening his foot too much. And it is indeed Portugal who will try to win their ticket for Qatar next Tuesday in Porto against North Macedonia, who surprised Italy (1-0) at the very end of the game. The player: Otavio goalscorer and passer A surprise starter on Thursday evening, Otavio did not leave with the confidence of Portugal supporters, surprised to see him lined up at the start. Yet it was he who rocked the evening by opening the scoring in the 15th minute, being on the lookout after a strike from Bernardo Silva deflected on the post by Cakir, the Turkish goalkeeper. The Porto midfielder then perfectly served Diogo Jota who doubled the lead at the end of the first period (42nd). Otavio narrowly missed the double by crossing his head too much on a cross from Raphaël Guerreiro, when he was alone in the area (75th). Replaced by Rafael Leao in the 89th minute, he had a very consistent match. 8 Diogo Jota has scored 8 goals in 2022 in all competitions, twice as many as Cristiano Ronaldo (4). (Opt)