Netherlands on the brink as 3-0 defeat in Turkey leaves Euro 2016 qualification hopes in doubt
Turkey leapfrogged Holland into third place in Group A of the Euro 2016 Qualifiers, as Arda Turan inspired them towards a 3-0 win at Konyan.
In what was a must-win game for the hosts, Barcelona man Arda was the architect for Turkey's first goal, finished off by former Holland youth international Oguzhan Ozyakup, and then found the back of the net himself.
Those two goals in the first half put Holland under extreme pressure, and Burak Yilmaz slotted in a third goal on 85 minutes as Fatih Terim's side took a big step towards achieving either a play-off place or a final automatic spot.
Arda, in fact, contributed less than an hour's work on the pitch, but eventually that was all Turkey needed to set them on their way, and Holland on a path towards elimination.
As early as the eighth minute, Arda provided the pinpoint pass in a Turkey counter-attack, which Ozyakup gleefully collected up front and dinked a finish over Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen.
A shocked Holland should have compensated quickly as Robin van Persie's backheel found Luciano Narsingh but his shot was saved by Turkey's Volkan Babacan.
And after Serdar Aziz's header bounced dangerously over the Dutch goal, Wesley Sneijder had a great chance to equalise for the visitors, once again Van Persie providing the layoff, though the final shot was tame.
Memphis Depay had been bright for Holland, his crosses causing trouble on occasion, but Turkey negated that with a second goal on 25 minutes.
It was Depay's Manchester United team-mate Daley Blind at fault, as he failed to take control of a Dutch throw-in, and Arda muscled his way forward to finish at Cillessen's near post.
Van Persie had a late effort in the first half blocked by Turkish defender Hakan Balta, before another Depay cross found Davy Klaassen whose weak header did not trouble Babacan.
Holland were a different side in the second half as half-time substitute Georginio Wijnaldum nearly had an instant impact, but somehow managed to skew his header wide after being unmarked in the area off a Depay cross.
Depay then took matters into his own hands even if his looping shot was easily saved.
Then began a period of brave defending for Turkey, as Holland plugged away, and the hosts paid the price with a flurry of yellow cards as well.
Holland could yet have had an inspired substitution when Luuk de Jong jumped highest to meet a Sneijder free-kick but the glanced header was just wide.
Those misses took their toll late on, as Yilmaz put the game to bed with a swivel and finish from a tight angle, Caner Erkin doing the leg work by stealing the ball and crossing.
ArticleNetherlands on the brink after 3-0 defeat in TurkeyEuro 2016Netherlands on the brink as 3-0 defeat in Turkey leaves Euro 2016 qualification hopes in doubtPublishedImageMedium widthSunday, September 6, 2015 - 19:08On the brink: Netherlands now trail third-place Turkey by two pointsOn