In the second match of the UEFA Nations B League Group 4, the National Football Team hosted Iceland in Izmir. The match played at the Gürsel Aksel Stadium was won 3-1 by the Crescent-Star team.
The goals that brought victory to our National Team were scored by Kerem Aktürkoğlu in the 2nd, 52nd and 88th minutes. Iceland’s only goal was scored by Victor Palsson in the 37th minute. Another goal that Kerem sent into the Icelandic net was disallowed due to offside.
Following this result, the National Team increased its points to 4 and took the lead in the group with goal difference. Iceland remained in 3rd place with 3 points.
Our National Team will host Montenegro on October 11th in its next match in the group.
First win on September 9th
Türkiye won its first victory in the 5th match it played on September 9th.
Having lost both matches against Iceland in 1981 and 2014 on September 9, the national football team also drew in the matches against the Republic of Ireland in 2003 and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2009.
Kerem’s 9th goal with the national team jersey
Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who scored goals in the matches against Georgia, Latvia, Armenia, Montenegro, Gibraltar and Norway, scored his 9th goal wearing the star-and-crescent jersey against Iceland.
Kerem Aktürkoğlu scored Turkey’s earliest goal in the UEFA Nations League and became the second fastest goal scored by the Crescent-Star team during the Vincenzo Montella era.
Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who scored his first hat-trick with Galatasaray on April 17, 2021 against Göztepe at the Gürsel Aksel Stadium, also scored 3 goals against Iceland at the same stadium.
The national football player made his 4th hat-trick in his career.
Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who experienced firsts with the national jersey, made history
Assists from Umut, Eren and Arda
Umut Nayir and Eren Elmalı, who found their first chance in the first 11 during the Vincenzo Montella era, finished the match with one assist each.
Arda Güler also made the assist for the last goal.
In the 58th minute of the match, Kerem Aktürkoğlu’s goal was disallowed due to offside. During the VAR review, the scoreboard showed a goal for a while, but the VAR decision was for offside.
Before the second half started, two child fans entered the pitch and approached Arda Güler and Abdülkerim Bardakcı. While one of the children took a photo with Abdülkerim, the two fans were taken off the pitch.
After the match, the footballers with the crescent stars walked around the stands and shared their joy of victory with the fans. Later, Kerem Aktürkoğlu from the national team gathered in the midfield and made the fans do a triple dance.
Türkiye: 3 – Iceland: 1
Stat: Gursel Aksel
Referees: Enea Jorgji, Denis Rexha, Ridiger Çokaj (Arnavutluk)
Türkiye: Mert Günok, Mert Müldür (73rd min Zeki Çelik), Merih Demiral, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Eren Elmalı, İrfan Can Kahveci (73rd min Kenan Yıldız), Hakan Çalhanoğlu (46th min Orkun Kökçü), İsmail Yüksek (87th min Kaan Ayhan), Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Arda Güler, Umut Nayir (81st min Okay Yokuslu)
Iceland: Valdimarsson, Palsson (Dk. 59 Fridriksson), Gretarsson, Hermannsson, Finnsson, Anderson (Dk. 46 Willumsson), Thordarson, Gudmundsson, Thorsteinsson (Dk. 59 Traustason), Gudjohnsen, Sigurdsson (Dk. 59 Oskarsson)
Goals: Min. 2, 52 and 88 Kerem Aktürkoğlu (Turkey), Min. 37 Palsson (Iceland)
Yellow cards: Min. 44 Gretarsson, Min. 73 Thordarson (Iceland), Min. 86 Irfan Can Kahveci (On the substitutes bench) (Turkey)
