Turkey End Kosovo Dreams to Secure World Cup Return

The final whistle echoed through the rain like a heavy hammer hitting the cold ground. When Kosovo finally ran out of last chances, they sunk to the floor as one. They had taken Turkey the distance with every drop of perspiration spent on the pitch. The once unthinkable prospect of a World Cup spot remained real until the very end. Michael Oliver finally called time on a night that will live long in local memory. The emotion was overwhelming as players covered their tears in front of the silent stands. Lumbardh Dellova was among those clearly distraught by the narrow nature of their bitter defeat. Edon Zhegrova beckoned his teammates to face the support that had carried them so far. His introduction from the bench sparked a late flurry of pressure that almost changed history. They had nothing to fear while departing to a standing ovation from the loyal crowd. These fans had been allowed the giddiest of fantasies during a truly remarkable qualifying campaign.

Turkey danced in front of their seven hundred strong traveling contingent at the other end. They had fulfilled a burning ambition of their own and finally broken a long hex. In two thousand and two few could have imagined this wait would take so long. It took twenty four years to produce another team capable of reaching the highest stage. They were semi-finalists in Japan and Korea and ultimately finished third in that great year. Since then they endured multiple failures to qualify for the biggest tournament in global sport. Now they are back thanks to a scruffy finish from the clinical Kerem Akturkoglu today. Perhaps a richly talented generation will summon the consistency to mount a serious trophy challenge. On another day they would have lost against a Kosovo side that gave everything. Had Fisnik Asllani’s first half shot not been tipped onto the bar they might win. Ugurcan Cakir made a brilliant save to stop the tide of euphoria sweeping the hosts.

Ultimately the home side ran out of steam before Asllani was denied one last time. The consolation is that this will surely not be the final fling for this nation. Their impressive production line is burgeoning with young talent ready for the next big step. I feel sorry for the whole team and the country said captain Vedat Muriqi. He cut a devastated figure when he was finally led down the dark tunnel tonight. I am very proud of the players and myself but fate did not want it. Muriqi is a warrior like totem in attack and occupied Turkey’s defenders all game long. Kosovo’s technicians were scintillating in bursts as they rotated around their strong and tall striker. Had they been more clinical a party of epic scale would have erupted tonight. Pristina had fizzed with electricity all day as the match approached with great local anticipation. It felt as if the entire population had crammed into the city for the game.

This was an occasion without parallel since the country declared independence back in two thousand eight. A decade ago they had yet to be accepted into the elite world of Fifa. Standing on the threshold of the world’s elite so soon was cause for celebration today. Any dampening of spirits was likely to stem from the speed of Kenan Yildiz tonight. He tormented Kosovo throughout an affair contested amid wind and driving rain in the stadium. Yildiz came close early on and teed up other sights of goal for his team. The deciding moment duly arrived eight minutes after the restart during a very tense period. Yildiz scorched away again and centered for Orkun Kokcu to place a bobbly first effort. The ball was nicked in by Akturkoglu near the line to settle the difficult tie. The complaint from Kosovo was that the scorer had been offside when he touched it. This protest proved futile as the goal stood and silenced the roaring home supporters immediately.

Yildiz came close to making things safe shortly afterwards with a powerful and low drive. He wielded more influence than Arda Guler who never quite found the space to play. The Kosovo defense worked hard to pick the fiercely competitive visitors open during the match. Roared on from around the open bowl Kosovo went for the kitchen sink late on. They were largely held at arm’s length by a professional and disciplined Turkish defensive line. Florent Muslija showed great fluency and unsettled the Turkish midfield with his clever passing play. He shot wide and then Cakir dived left to repel a curling effort from Asllani. Eventually Turkey’s extra savvy earned its reward as they managed the final few nervous minutes. Kosovo had dared to imagine the impossible but must now focus on the future goals. They must pick themselves up for the upcoming Euro twenty eight qualifiers in the new year.

Reaching that tournament had originally been the goal for their impressive manager Franco Foda tonight. He once led Austria and has worked wonders with this group of dedicated young men. Kosovo have more in the tank and the future remains bright for this footballing nation. I am not concerned about the future of this team moving forward into next year. We are going in a good direction and will soon reach our full potential. Even if their dream faded today a country has rarely felt more alive and proud. The streets of Pristina remained crowded as fans discussed what might have been for them. Turkey will celebrate a return to the world stage where they feel they truly belong. Their fans will look forward to the summer with renewed hope and great national pride. The journey for Kosovo is only beginning as they gain respect from the football world. Every player left the pitch knowing they had given their all for the blue shirt.

The tactical battle was won by the narrowest of margins in the difficult wet conditions. Turkey showed the experience needed to navigate such a high pressure and emotional knockout game. Their midfield controlled the tempo when Kosovo threatened to overran them with their youthful energy. Arda Guler may have been quiet but his presence occupied two defenders at all times. This allowed Akturkoglu the space he needed to find the winning goal at the post. The Turkish goalkeeper was arguably the man of the match for his three vital saves. Without his quick reflexes the result would have looked very different for the visiting side. Kosovo will reflect on the chances they missed during a dominant first half of play. They proved they can compete with the established powers of European football on any day. The atmosphere in the stadium was a testament to how far they have come lately.

Looking ahead Turkey will need to sharpen their finishing before the finals begin next year. They have the flair but sometimes lack the killer instinct to put games away early. Their defense looked solid under pressure which will please the coaching staff and the fans. Kosovo will enter the next qualifying cycle as a team that nobody wants to face. They have transitioned from being underdogs to becoming a serious threat to the bigger nations. The investment in their youth academies is clearly paying off with every new international match. Fans will remember the near misses and the passion shown by their heroes on the pitch. It is a heartbreaking end to a journey that captured the hearts of many people. Football can be cruel but it also provides the platform for such incredible national stories. Turkey moves on to the world stage while Kosovo prepares for their next big challenge. Both teams proved that pride and passion are still the heart of the beautiful game.

Check our latest news