World Cup Dream on the Line: Turkey Hosts Georgia in Critical Qualifier Amid Squad Changes – Turkish Football

Türkiye faces a crucial home test in its bid for a 2026 World Cup berth, welcoming rivals Georgia to the Kocaeli Stadyumu on Tuesday, October 14th. This Group E showdown is vital in the race for second place and a spot in the qualification playoffs.

Türkiye, which is looking to reach the World Cup finals for only the second time since its memorable third-place finish in 2002, currently sits in the playoff position.

Vincenzo Montella’s side enters the match in buoyant form, having rebounded from a tough 6-0 defeat against Spain with a dominant 6-1 victory over Bulgaria on October 11th. That win featured a dazzling display of young talent, with Kenan Yıldız netting a brace and Arda Güler adding another, alongside goals from Zeki Çelik and İrfan Can Kahveci. With three games remaining, the Turks hold a three-point cushion over Georgia, who are desperate to close the gap.

Montella Puts Focus on ‘Vital’ Match

Following the win over Bulgaria, Coach Montella stressed the absolute priority of the upcoming fixture.

“From this moment on, we must focus all our energy on the vital Georgia match,” the Italian coach said in a post-game press conference. “We have achieved many milestones, but our biggest dream is to qualify for the World Cup. No matter what happens, we will not give up on our World Cup dreams or ambitions.”

Montella hinted at tactical rotation for the encounter, citing potential fatigue among his players. “Today, we once again proved how strong our team is and how deep our roster goes,” he noted. “We’ll make some changes for the next game. Everyone put in a lot of effort, so it’s possible that some players are fatigued.”

Injury and Internal Dispute Rock Camp

The Turkish squad will be forced into at least two changes, one due to injury and one resulting from disciplinary action. Attacking midfielder İrfan Can Kahveci has been removed from the squad due to injury.

More dramatically, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) confirmed that goalkeeper Berke Özer left the training camp “without permission” after being left out of the team against Bulgaria.

“Berke Özer left our training center after returning to Istanbul, citing his non-selection for yesterday’s Bulgaria vs. Türkiye match, without the permission of our staff,” the TFF stated on October 12th, adding that “such behavior is unacceptable” during the World Cup qualification campaign.

Özer, who plays for Lille, subsequently posted a statement on social media claiming he had a minor injury before joining the team and that he left with the “knowledge and permission of the coach and his staff” after realizing he was not needed.

The critical Group E match between Türkiye and Georgia kicks off at 21:45 local time at the Kocaeli Stadium. In the group’s other fixture, leaders Spain will host Bulgaria in Valladolid.