- Turkey and Romania meet for the first time since 2013, when the Crescent Stars won 2 - 0 away from home in World Cup qualifying
- This is a one-legged semi-final of the World Cup 2026 play-off, winner takes all, to reach the Path C final
- Turkey finished second in Group E, while Romania reached the playoffs via the Nations League route, finishing behind Austria and Bosnia in Group H
Istanbul clash should favour the home side
Thursday’s game between Turkey and Romania is a bit of a chess match in terms of contrasting styles, with the Crescent Stars possessing much more pace and goal power, but the Tricolorii are the sort of side that can sit deep and frustrate any opponent.
Vincenzo Montella has instilled a very pro-active, attack-minded approach upon the team since taking over as coach, with the Turks favouring possession and plenty of movement from the players in their half of the field. Arda Güler is their creative spark, providing the tempo and long-range threat that all teams need in this age of ‘false nines’.
Montella’s attacking emphasis, which has given the national team their identity, comes with an element of risk that has certainly told against better sides. Turkey suffered a 0 - 6 loss to Spain and that could have been worse. On the positive side, Turkey can produce some high-scoring wins if the stars are aligned as was the case in a 6 - 1 win over Bulgaria and a 4 - 1 win over Georgia.
Arda Güler, Cengiz Ünder and Kenan Yıldız all offer pace and clinical finishing while Hakan Çalhanoğlu is a major asset on set pieces as well as tempo from midfield, although the captain’s fitness is a concern and could be a subplot for this game.
Romania are a solid side with the power to upset
Mircea Lucescu’s Romania are the opposite of Turkey in that they are a very solid side, capable of sitting deep, blocking up the space and then exploding into the final third at high speed when they win the ball. Nicolae Stanciu is their playmaker and set-piece specialist, dictating play from midfield while Ianis Hagi and Dennis Man are the players who provide the attacking thrust from wide areas.
The Tricolorii’s recent form has been patchy, brushing San Marino aside 7-1, edging Austria 1-0, losing to Bosnia 3-1 and drawing with Cyprus 2-2. Radu Drăgușin is the man they need to shut down in defence as he provides a physical presence and leadership against the likes of Arda Güler and Ünder.
A draw looks the most likely result, but with home advantage and far more attacking power Turkey are expected to edge a tight encounter with Romania. The Romanians are a well-drilled, experienced team and not an easy nut to crack in these high-stakes knockout games under Lucescu’s leadership. So the best bet could be the over 2.5 goals market at 1.62, given the tempo of the game and Turkey’s approach to matches.
Turkey to win would see them one step closer to their first World Cup finals berth since 2002, while Romania would have to pull off a classic away upset, a speciality of Lucescu’s that is well within the capability of this team.
