Turkey defeats Kosovo 4-1 in World Cup qualifier

First victory came under the shadow of Arda Turan's departure from the team for assaulting a journalist.

Turkey's Ozan Tufan scores the team's fourth goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier Group I match with Kosovo at Loro Borici Stadium in Shkoder, Albania, June 11, 2017.
AFP

Turkey's Ozan Tufan scores the team's fourth goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier Group I match with Kosovo at Loro Borici Stadium in Shkoder, Albania, June 11, 2017.

Turkey's national football team defeated Kosovo 4-1 on Sunday in a 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier Group I match, collecting three points with the win at Loro Borici Stadium.

The first half was a little shaky for the Turkish side, as the team was still reeling from the loss of Arda Turan. The player announced his retirement from international football on Tuesday in the wake of a verbal assault on a journalist.

Turkish club Fenerbahce's player Volkan Sen opened the score sheet in the 7th minute, but Kosovo managed to equalise in the 22nd minute on a header from a corner kick. Cengiz Under answered with his own header nine minutes later.

Turkey was in full control in the second half, as striker Burak Yilmaz scored in the 61st minute and Ozan Tufan added the final goal in the 82nd minute.

TRT World and Agencies

Turkey's Burak Yilmaz (L) celebrates scoring their third goal with teammates during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier Group I match with Kosovo at Loro Borici Stadium, Shkoder, Albania, June 11, 2017.

Turkey remains in third place in Group I and has managed 11 points to date.

Croatia and Iceland both have 13 points from six games in Group I. The pair are two points ahead of Turkey.

The group winners qualify directly for the World Cup next year.

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