Norway again protest about Qatar, then Turkey dent World Cup hopes
Turkey's midfielder Ozan Tufan (C) celebrates with defenders Umut Meras (L) and Caglar Soyuncu after scoring a goal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualification football match between Norway and Turkey at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga on March 27, 2021. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP) (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO/AFP via Getty Images)
Norway's players again protested against the staging of the World Cup in Qatar, which many football people in the county wish to boycott.
However their side's hopes of qualification were dented by a surprisingly comfortable defeat at the hands of a buoyant Turkish side, fresh from defeating the Netherlands.
Arsenal's on-loan Real Madrid star Martin Ødegaard was passed fit to play for Norway, lining up behind Dortmund superstar Erling Haaland, but the Norwegians could find no way through and Ozan Tufan scored two superb goals as Turkey cruised to victory.
Norway had substitute Kristian Thorstvedt sent off late on in the Group G World Cup qualifying clash.
Playing their home game in Malaga due to coronavirus restrictions in Oslo, the Norwegians protested about the Qatar World Cup for the second time in four days by wearing t-shirts that called for human rights to be respected.
The players also held up their left hands, mirroring the international logo for human rights.
They quickly fell behind as Yusuf Yazici sliced their defence open down the left and put in a low cross for the late-arriving Tufan to rifle home in the fourth minute.
Alexander Sorloth could have put his side level in the 26th minute, but his powerful shot cannoned back off the post and it proved to be a costly miss when Caglar Soyuncu was left unmarked to head home Yazici’s corner two minutes later.
Sorloth and Erling Haaland went close from an early second-half corner but their night was effectively ended when Tufan netted Turkey’s third with a glorious curling shot that flew in at the far post to make it 3-0 just before the hour mark.
Haaland had the ball in the net shortly afterwards but his effort was ruled out for offside and Turkey held on for a comfortable win to top Group G with six points after two games, ahead of Montenegro on goal difference.
Netherlands, who beat Latvia 2-0 are third on three points, with Norway fourth on goal difference.
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