Kosovo 0-1 Turkey Player Ratings: Aktürkoğlu's Goal Seals Turkey's Qualification To The World Cup After 24 Years

A solitary strike from Kerem Aktürkoğlu was enough to give Turkey a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Kosovo in a tense WC Qualification Europe encounter. The match, played at a determined pace at Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri, was ultimately decided by a moment of quality early in the second half.

The decisive moment arrived in the 53rd minute. The brilliant Orkun Kökçü sliced open the Kosovo national football team defence to set up Aktürkoğlu for a close-range finish. It was a goal that felt inevitable as Turkey had been gradually asserting their dominance.

Despite the setback, Kosovo refused to fold and had their chances, with Fisnik Asllani coming agonizingly close. The midfield battle between the two teams was fierce and often punctuated by recurring fouls.

The Turkey national football team controlled possession for large spells, but Kosovo’s resilience made it a difficult evening for the visitors. In the end, a single goal separated the sides in this crucial match, which sealed their qualification for the global gathering event in June.

Here are the Kosovo vs Turkey Player Ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Turkey had more possession, but both teams created the same number of big chances (1).
• İsmail Yüksek won the most duels in this match (9).
• Arda Güler recorded the most key passes in this World Cup Qualifier Playoff (3).

Turkey Player Ratings vs Kosovo

Check out the Turkey Player Ratings from the Kosovo vs Turkey Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Uğurcan Çakır - 7.0: A relatively quiet night for the keeper, but he was alert when needed. He made a crucial save in the first half to deny Fisnik Asllani. His distribution was solid, and he commanded his area well, especially with two good high claims. A confident and assured performance between the sticks.

Defenders

Zeki Çelik - 6.5: A busy performance from the right-back. He was heavily involved, winning eight of his twelve duels and drawing four fouls. However, he also lost possession 16 times and picked up a yellow card. His attacking contribution was limited, but he was defensively robust for the most part.

Abdülkerim Bardakcı - 7.0: A commanding presence at the back. He was dominant in the air, winning four aerial duels, and made six crucial clearances. His passing was impressively accurate at 92%, showing great composure. A very solid and reliable display from the central defender.

Ozan Kabak - 7.5: From our perspective, he was outstanding. An almost flawless 98% pass accuracy shows his quality on the ball. He was strong in his duels, winning four out of five, and contributed with four clearances. It was a performance of real maturity and class.

Ferdi Kadıoğlu - 6.5: An industrious display on the left. He was always looking to support the attack and completed 56 passes. However, his final product was sometimes lacking, and losing the ball 12 times is a little high. A tireless effort, though.

Midfielders

Orkun Kökçü - 8.5: The clear Man of the Match. He was the architect of Turkey's victory with a brilliant assist for the only goal. Beyond that, he created another big chance, made three interceptions, and recovered the ball eight times. He completely ran the show from midfield. A truly dominant performance and our highest-rated player.

Arda Güler - 7.0: A tidy performance from the young maestro. His 94% pass accuracy and three key passes highlight his creative influence. We noticed he struggled physically, winning only two of eight duels. He drifted in and out of the game but showed flashes of his immense talent.

Hakan Çalhanoğlu - 6.0: The captain had a frustrating evening. He was busy, with 68 touches, but failed to make a significant impact on the game. All three of his shots were blocked, and he picked up a cheap yellow card. We expected more from a player of his calibre.

İsmail Yüksek - 7.5: The enforcer in the middle of the park. He was immense defensively, making four tackles and three interceptions. His aggression was key to breaking up Kosovo's play, though it did lead to a booking. He did his job exceptionally well.

Attackers

Kerem Aktürkoğlu - 7.5: The match-winner. He showed great instincts to be in the right place to score the decisive goal. It wasn't a perfect performance; he was caught offside twice and received a yellow card. But in football, goals change games, and his goal won this one.

Kenan Yıldız - 7.0: A constant threat with his dribbling, completing four successful runs. He was not afraid to shoot, taking three attempts at goal. He faded a little as the game went on and was dispossessed four times, but his directness caused problems.

Substitutes

Baris Alper Yilmaz - N/A: Came on for the goalscorer late in the game but had little time to make an impact.

Manager

V. Montella - 7.0: His game plan worked. Turkey were solid defensively and created enough to get the all-important goal. He'll be pleased with the clean sheet and the three points away from home. A professional and disciplined team performance.

Kosovo Player Ratings vs Turkey

Here are the Kosovo Player Ratings from the Kosovo vs Turkey Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Arijanet Murić - 5.5: He couldn't have done much to stop the goal. However, his distribution was very poor, with only 50% pass accuracy. This often put his team under unnecessary pressure. Not a convincing display from the goalkeeper.

Defenders

Lumbardh Dellova - 6.5: A real battler in the backline. He made an impressive five tackles and two blocks, throwing himself into challenges. He did get dribbled past three times, but his commitment was undeniable. A solid, if unspectacular, outing.

Kreshnik Hajrizi - 7.0: Kosovo's best defender on the night. He was a wall, making three crucial blocks and three clearances. He read the game well with seven ball recoveries. He even ventured forward for a shot after a corner. A very commendable performance.

Albian Hajdari - 5.0: A difficult night for the defender. He picked up an early yellow card, which put him on edge. He struggled to cope with Turkey's attackers, and his evening was cut short by an injury. A performance he'll want to forget.

Midfielders

Elvis Rexhbecaj - 5.0: A really poor performance. He was largely anonymous and made a costly error that led to a shot for the opposition. He lost most of his duels and gave away three fouls. From our perspective, he was the worst performer on the pitch.

Mërgim Vojvoda - 5.5: He tried to provide width but was largely ineffective. He lost possession 10 times in his 71 minutes on the pitch. His final ball was lacking, and he offered little defensively. It was no surprise to see him substituted.

Dion Gallapeni - 6.0: A tenacious display, drawing four fouls to relieve pressure. However, he struggled on the ball, losing it 14 times and winning only seven of his thirteen duels. He worked hard but lacked the quality needed to make a difference.

Veldin Hodza - 6.0: Impressively tidy in possession with 100% pass accuracy. Despite this, he had a minimal impact on the game, often choosing the safe option. He needed to be more ambitious with his passing to unlock the Turkish defence.

Attackers

Florent Muslija - 6.0: He looked lively at times with some good dribbles. But his end product was frustratingly poor, losing possession 16 times. He had one shot off target but needed to offer more creativity in the final third.

Fisnik Asllani - 6.5: Looked like Kosovo's biggest threat. He was unlucky not to score, forcing a good save from the keeper. However, his overall game was messy, with poor passing and losing the ball far too often. A frustrating mix of danger and wastefulness.

Vedat Muriqi - 5.5: The captain cut an isolated figure up front. He won his share of aerial battles but missed a big chance in the first half. He struggled to get involved in the game, managing only 25 touches. A very quiet and disappointing night for him.

Substitutes

Edon Zhegrova - N/A: Brought on to add some spark, but couldn't change the outcome.

Fidan Aliti - N/A: Came on for the injured Hajdari and slotted into the defence.

Milot Rashica - N/A: Introduced late on but had little opportunity to influence the proceedings.

Manager

F. Foda - 6.0: He set his team up to be difficult to beat, and they were for large parts of the match. However, they lacked a cutting edge in attack and creativity in midfield. His substitutions failed to change the dynamic of the game. A spirited effort, but ultimately not enough.

Man of the Match

Orkun Kökçü was adjudged as Sportsdunia's man of the match from this European World Cup Qualifier Playoff.

Worst Performer

Elvis Rexhbecaj was the worst performer in Kosovo vs Turkey.