Turkey Secures Play-Off Spot with 2-0 Victory Over Bulgaria in World Cup Qualifiers

WISE NEWS PRESS / BURSA, TÜRKİYE — NOVEMBER 15, 2025

The Turkish National Football Team defeated Bulgaria 2-0 in Bursa in their fifth match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers Group E, securing their ticket to the Play-Off round with a convincing performance.

The Crescent-Stars achieved the victory at the Atatürk Sports Complex Matlı Stadium. The goals that sealed the win were scored by Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu from a penalty in the 18th minute and an own goal by Chernev in the 83rd minute. The result boosted the National Team’s point total in the group to 12. Turkey will travel to Spain for their final group match on Tuesday, November 18.

Tactical Changes and High Fan Interest

Coach Vincenzo Montella made three changes to the starting lineup compared to the previous match against Georgia, opting for Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Zeki Çelik, and Oğuz Aydın in place of Eren Elmalı, Mert Müldür, and Yunus Akgün.

The match in Bursa drew significant attention from fans, who filled the stadium hours before kick-off, demonstrating high support for the National Team.

Tribute to Fallen Soldiers

Before the match, a minute of silence was observed in memory of 20 soldiers who were killed when a cargo plane crashed on the Azerbaijan-Georgia border. The national players also took to the field during warm-ups holding a banner that read: "Aziz Milletimizin Başı Sağ Olsun" (Condolences to our Dear Nation).

Çalhanoğlu Reaches Milestone

Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu marked his 102nd appearance for the National Team in the match against Bulgaria, tying him with Bülent Korkmaz for the third-most capped player in the history of the Turkish National Team. Rüştü Reçber holds the top spot with 120 appearances.

Key Match Highlights

The breakthrough came in the 16th minute when the referee pointed to the penalty spot after a Bulgarian defender handled the ball following a free kick taken by Çalhanoğlu. The captain successfully converted the penalty in the 17th minute.

Notable chances included a narrow miss from Abdülkerim in the 4th minute, and Kerem Aktürkoğlu hitting the ball just wide in the 12th minute. In the second half, Bulgaria's Rusev hit the post in the 58th minute. Turkey sealed the victory in the 83rd minute when Çalhanoğlu's cross was deflected into the net by Bulgarian defender Chernev.

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