Türkiye are on the cusp of securing their spot in the UEFA 2024 European Championship (Euro 2024) as they set their sights on Sunday's clash against Latvia, following an impressive 1-0 victory over Croatia in the Euro 2023 qualifiers.
The Crescent-Stars took a significant step toward qualifying for next year's showdown in Germany with this remarkable win away in Osijek.
Fresh off securing the co-hosting rights for the 2032 Euros alongside Italy, Türkiye embarked on their journey to secure qualification for the upcoming showdown, leaving no stone unturned and determined to make a resounding statement.
After enduring a series of recent disappointments, the Turkish national team, now under the guidance of their new head coach, Vincenzo Montella, triumphantly secured their first victory during this historic encounter.
In a game that showcased several significant firsts, Barış Alper Yılmaz scribed his name into Turkish football history by scoring the winning goal, celebrating his first goal for the national team in his eighth appearance.
This victory not only propelled Türkiye to the top of Group D with 13 points from six games, three points ahead of Croatia, who have played one match fewer, but also handed Croatia their first home loss in European qualifiers.
The Turkish national team's achievement was underscored by the fact that they won their first national match at Croatia's newest and most modern stadium, Opus Arena.
Moreover, it marked the first time in history that Türkiye defeated Croatia away from home.
Previously, the national team had played three matches in Zagreb, all of which ended in draws.
The winning goal came in the 30th minute when Barış Alper Yılmaz seized a through ball from Salih Özcan and executed a brilliant lob over Dominik Livakovic, who had ventured far out of his box, leaving the Croatian goalkeeper stranded.
This impressive victory places Türkiye at the summit of Group D, with 13 points, while Croatia, with one match left, occupies the second position with 10 points.
Armenia and Wales, each with 7 points and one match to play, are in the third and fourth places, respectively.
Meanwhile, after securing their first win by defeating Armenia 2-0 at home, Latvia remain at the bottom of the group with 3 points.
Türkiye now has two more crucial matches in the group, with the upcoming Sunday clash against Latvia being particularly significant.
Should the Crescent-Stars secure victory in Konya, they will punch their ticket to Euro 2024 without relying on the results of other matches.
The Turkish national team will complete their group matches with an away game against Wales on Nov. 21.
