Iceland end Turkey's World Cup hopes with 3-0 victory
Soccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Iceland’s Jon Dadi Bodvarsson in action with Turkey's Kaan Ayhan REUTERS/Umit Bektas
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Iceland secured a resounding 3-0 victory in Turkey on Friday, ending the home side's hopes of reaching next year's World Cup and putting the visitors on course to qualify directly from Group I.
With one game to play, the win put Iceland top of the group on 19 points, two ahead of Croatia, who drew 1-1 with Finland. Ukraine also rose to 17 points after beating Kosovo, while Turkey were left on 14 points and out of contention.
Johann Gudmundsson put Iceland ahead in the 32nd minute, latching on to a cross from Jon Bodvarsson at the back post to fire the ball past Volkan Babacan in the Turkish goal.
Soccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Iceland’s Birkir Bjarnason celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates REUTERS/Umit Bektas
The visitors doubled their lead seven minutes later when Bodvarsson slipped the ball between two defenders to Birkir Bjarnason who fired the ball beyond Babacan, drawing boos from the raucous crowd in the northwestern Turkish city of Eskisehir.
Turkey's hopes of fighting their way back into the game were dashed early in the second half when Kari Arnason knocked the ball in from close range in the 49th minute, after a corner was headed back across the goal mouth by Aron Gunnarsson.
The pattern was set early in the match as Turkey's efforts to break down the solid-looking Iceland defence bore little fruit and the visitors repeatedly looked to hit Turkey on the counter attack.
Soccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Iceland’s Hordur Magnusson in action with Turkey's Kaan Ayhan REUTERS/Umit Bektas
After the third goal, Iceland were content to sit back and absorb the pressure from Turkey for much of the second half as the hosts looked to salvage pride, but even a consolation goal eluded them.
Iceland will host Kosovo in their final game while Croatia will play away against Ukraine. Turkey will travel to Finland for their last game.
Soccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Iceland players applaud the fans after the match REUTERS/Umit Bektas
(Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Toby Davis)
Soccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Iceland players celebrate after the match REUTERS/Umit BektasSoccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Iceland players celebrate after the match REUTERS/Umit BektasSoccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Iceland’s Jon Dadi Bodvarsson in action with Turkey's Caner Erkin REUTERS/Umit BektasSoccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Iceland’s Kari Arnason celebrates scoring their third goal with teammates REUTERS/Umit BektasSoccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Iceland’s Alfred Finnbogason in action with Turkey's Caglar Soyuncu REUTERS/Umit BektasSoccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Iceland’s Birkir Bjarnason celebrates scoring their second goal with Gylfi Sigurdsson REUTERS/Umit BektasSoccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Iceland team group before the match REUTERS/Umit BektasSoccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Turkey fans wave flags in the stands REUTERS/Umit BektasSoccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Turkey team group before the match REUTERS/Umit BektasSoccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Iceland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson REUTERS/Umit BektasSoccer Football - 2018 World Cup qualifications - Europe - Turkey vs Iceland - New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir, Turkey - October 6, 2017 Iceland’s Alfred Finnbogason and Birkir Bjarnason in action with Turkey's Nuri Sahin REUTERS/Umit Bektas
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